The Past That Binds
by ShadowoftheMountain
Summary: Rin is 17, and living in the same hut that she shared with the now-deceased Kaede. When Sesshomaru returns for her, what will she do? And will he be able to overcome his unspoken past to save her from a new danger? Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story is fiction, based upon the manga Inuyasha written by Rumiko Takahashi. This is intended for non-profit entertainment purposes only, and all rights to all characters are retained by the aforementioned author.

****This story has been sitting in my mind for several years. It's not exactly original, I know, but I can never get enough Sesshomaru-Rin fanfiction. A few things to mention: yes, Rin is 17 in this fic, but it's hardly Lolicon. Back in the feudal era, an unmarried 17 year old would actually be considered an old maid. Also, I do fully intend to include at least one (tasteful) lemon in an undetermined future chapter, so if that's not your thing, you'll probably want to stop here. And finally - I welcome _constructive_ criticism. If you just want to be impolite, go elsewhere. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy. I probably won't keep working on this one unless I get at least some people who want me to continue, so let me know if you like it.****

It was a clear, late summer day. The sun shone brightly, illuminating a beautiful and ancient maple tree that grew in the middle of a small valley. There wasn't much else growing around it, and the land was not particularly fertile, or easy to irrigate. Therefore, the farmers in the nearby village had no reason to plant there and ignored the site completely, though it was flat and level. All these things made it perfect for the young woman who was quietly focused on her martial arts training.

She was tall - very tall compared to the other women in her village. Like them, she possessed dark hair, though it was longer and thicker than most, and also like them she possessed a resoluteness that people of this age rarely have. And unlike many of them, she possessed beautiful eyes the color of hazelnuts, and an indomitable sense of humor and cheerfulness. Until recently, she had been thin as a bean-pole - but over the past three years, she had filled out into a far more womanly shape. And her name was Rin.

Rin concentrated, clearing her mind. She held her staff at a lateral position in front of her, then practiced her movements. She still wasn't perfect, but she was far better than when she had begun. Sango, her friend and mentor, even told her that she had talent as a demon-slayer and would be useful to the village. Rin hoped it was true - she was tired of feeling like she didn't do enough.

Since Kaede died the past fall, she had been treated differently by those in the village. They knew that she had lived and traveled with an extremely powerful youkai, and it made them nervous in two ways: they were afraid to treat her badly, because they feared his retribution; yet they were also afraid to welcome her too much, since they trusted no human who so clearly loved a youkai. Consequently, few of them wanted her as a midwife or a healer (though her skills were second only to Kagome's), and though they treated her well to her face, she knew that talk traveled behind her back. Once, she overheard a woman say, "Rin? Yes, she is beautiful and kind indeed, but I don't know of any young man that would want goods that were so obviously soiled by a youkai." Young though she was, she knew exactly what that meant.

 _Concentrate!_ She berated herself. _Don't think about him!_ But she knew it was useless. Anytime her mind brushed against a thought of her Sesshoumaru-sama, it was as though a dam broke and thoughts of him, Ah-Un, and even Jakken flooded her mind. She decided she was done for the day, and wiped down her staff. Just as she finished, she saw a small shape come barreling toward her. Smiling, she opened her arms.

"Kikou!" she yelled happily, as a small brown Shiba dog jumped into her arms. "It's been a week! I thought for sure you were finally gone for good!" He politely licked her face, and she set him down. She had found Kikou in the woods, with his foot stuck under a log. She had freed him, and his companionship had helped her greatly. He didn't judge her, and he loved her completely. What she liked about him the most was that though he was faithful, he was also independent, coming and going as he pleased. And he was very, very quiet and prideful. She never needed to worry about him.

Setting him down, she told him, "Let's go eat something. But first, we definitely have to pick our flowers for the day." Kikou, as though in silent accord, went to her heel and followed her into the next meadow.

It was a sea of blue, yellow, and white flowers. Some small, some larger, but all incredibly fragrant and beautiful. Of all the things in the world, Rin never, ever tired of flowers. And she never tired of picking them. With a smile on her face, she gathered a large bouquet and walked back toward the maple tree. She left them underneath it, and said to them, "You may not have come back for me yet, but as long as I live I won't stop leaving them for you." She felt her heart quiver at these words. Normally she said nothing, but something about the day seemed significant. She felt for certain that her heart was about to break. Why had he been gone for these seven long years? Why hadn't she seen him in two? And why hadn't he taken her on his journeys, as he'd promised?

...

Five years ago, when Rin was twelve, she and Kaede had a long conversation over many days, before she began her work as an assistant midwife. Kaede had told her about the facts of life very nonchalantly - how babies grew, what they needed to grow well, how birth occurred, and - the most surprising to Rin - how they were made. Rin had never thought to ask, because it wasn't something she found important. Once Kaede told her the details, however, she was both intrigued and disgusted.

"Who on earth would want to do that?" She asked Kaede. "It seems strange! And painful, too - and at the end, we women get even more pain out of it! Why do so many allow such a thing to happen to them, simply because a man wants to pleasure himself?"

"Ah, ye are young, child. Ye haven't felt the stirrings that many women feel when they are with the man they love. It isn't just for the pleasure of a man that women get themselves in such a position." Rin was positive she saw a twinkle in Kaede's eyes.

"Well, thankfully when I'm grown up I'll have my Sesshomaru-sama to keep me away from such silliness. I know he would never allow me to do such a thing, and he'd certainly never allow any man to do it to me."

"Another male? No, he wouldn't suffer that, for certain," said Kaede, with a meaningful look at Rin. "But part of the reason I am talking to ye about these things is because I don't believe ye understand his true intentions, either."

Rin looked confused. "What?"

"Sesshomaru has his ideas for ye, though even I am unsure as to what they are. Let me ask ye this, Rin: How did Mimeko feel last week when Minoru gave her a kimono?"

"She was so excited! She told me that when a boy gives a girl a kimono, he intends to marry her. She can't wait to get out of her mother's house and finally have one of her own, since Minoru's mother died last year."

"Well, look down at thy own kimono, child," Kaede said, with meaning in her eyes.

As Rin did so, her heart skipped a beat. She looked at the sea-blue fabric, embroidered all over with beautiful stags, all being chased by a large, white dog youkai. It was tied with a red and brown obi. Unusually elaborate for a village girl, it should have been worn by a young woman of the youkai nobility. But Sesshomaru would allow her to wear nothing less.

Then it hit her. Sesshomaru gave her this kimono. Kimono were regarded as engagement presents. Could he possibly intend...

Then she laughed.

"Kaede, you almost had me for a moment there!" She couldn't stop her chuckling. "Of course that may be true for humans, but it certainly isn't true for youkai."

"Perhaps not for youkai, child, but for the great court of the Daiyoukai, the etiquette is entirely different. Their customs are much like those of the Emperor's court. I have no doubt in my mind that he intends something for ye. Though he certainly is hard to read," she said, looking sideways. "However, I want ye to understand that if Sesshomaru comes back for ye, he may intend ye as his mate. And if he does... well, ye need to know what to expect of that situation."

Rin left the conversation completely nerve-wracked. She had learned the truth of romance that day, as well as the fact that her Sesshomaru-sama may intend to do such a thing to her someday. She tried to be disgusted, but the more she thought about it... the more heat she felt between her thighs, and the more her cheeks began to blush.

...

As Rin was walking home, she saw Sango running down the road with her brood of three dark-haired, mischievous, smiling children running behind. "Hello Rin!" She called. "How did your training go today? I'm sorry I didn't make it down to the meadow to help. Kiremaru's sick and Kagome needed my help."

"Oh Sango, I'm so sorry. I didn't know he was taken ill," said Rin, concern flooding her voice.

"Well, it certainly isn't anyone's fault but his own. He decided to play with a bees' nest and got stung all over, right after you left. I would have gone to get you, but there wasn't time."

Rin felt worry clutch at her heart. She adored Inuyasha and Kagome's son - to her, he was like a mischievous little brother. "I'm so sorry that I left so early, Sango! I wish I hadn't. Is there anything I can do now?"

"Well, there's not much to do at this point. We put him in an herb poultice, since he swelled up so much. Miroku and I are going to gather herbs, even though we have more than enough. And of course, InuYasha is out destroying the wasp nest with Tetsusaiga, as if that will help somehow," said Sango, giving an exasperated sigh. She gave Rin a pointed look. "Besides, you seem distracted lately. Are you sure you're okay? We worry about you, what with..." Sango decided not to finish her sentence. She didn't want to mention the subject of Sesshomaru. Of course, Rin was never angry when anyone spoke of him, but every time he was mentioned, her face fell. It was more than Sango could bear, for she had come to love Rin as a little sister. At first, she didn't trust a girl who so willingly gave her heart to a dangerous, cruel youkai. But it became clear to her after a time that it was Rin's trust and love that was able to overcome the ocean of apparent indifference that was Sesshomaru.

When he would visit the village to see Rin, Sango would notice something almost melt off of his persona when he entered her presence. His eyes would soften, though his aura still felt guarded and tense - and Sango was pretty sure she knew why. The demon was afraid of hurting the only thing he loved. The very last time he visited, Sango was positive that she could feel that tension hit a breaking point. She was sure that he avoided this place for that very reason.

It was evident over this past year that Rin had changed. Sango saw it when she trained Rin in demon-slaying - a natural at the art, Rin had taken up the staff, or Bo and had been incredibly competent with it. Sango had never met many women who had the combination of height and speed necessary to weild it properly, but Rin was perfect for it. Her focus was normally rigid and perfect, but over the past six months in particular, Sango had noticed her intensity and strength of spirit fading. And she was sure she knew why.

Then, an idea hit her.

"Rin, since we have things under control, why don't you go to the hot spring? It's been a while since we've been able to make it all together, but it is a great place to go for personal reflection, on your own. I go there all the time."

Rin was somewhat uneasy. "Are you sure? I really don't need to be running off by myself when everyone is so worried about Kiremaru." _Besides_ , she thought to herself, _I think that maybe I've been thinking too much lately, anyway._

Sango looked decisive. "Oh, don't be worried about Kiremaru. He's a hanyou - and certainly one of the strongest I know. He'll pull through fine, and hopefully he'll learn his lesson this time. I can tell that you need it - and I won't take no for an answer," she said, smiling sweetly. "Go on - most of the villagers don't even like to go there, and no one goes during the night. Just make sure that you pay attention and notice if you feel any strange auras about. I'm sure you can do it - you've improved so much."

Rin smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Sango - I will. Will you take Kikou back with you, children? I believe he's wanting to play with someone," she smiled at their delighted giggles as Kikou ran off with them, barking in circles.

"Bye Auntie Rin!" they called, chasing Kikou with their mother following behind. Sango called back to Rin, "Don't be too long, or I'll worry!"

"I won't!" Rin yelled back, for they were now far in the distance.

Why had she agreed to this? She wasn't sure she wanted more time alone... then again, after smelling herself, maybe Sango's advice had more to do with hygiene than anything else. It had been a while since Rin had bathed properly, and the warm water did sound like heaven.

 _Not as heavenly as his arms... STOP IT!_ She shook her head, trying to clear it of such thoughts, then settled back to walking toward the spring. _It's no use. After all, I'm human, and no matter what Kaede said, there's no way Sesshomaru would wish to have a human for a mate._

 _..._

The sun was beginning its descent into the western sky, and it was unusually clear. The sun gently settled itself behind the distant hills, and a cool breeze blew. Upon it, the daiyoukai flew.

His expression was severe, as always, and his elaborate garments and graceful hair flew behind him. His piercing eyes scanned the lands, looking for and sensing what he sought. His face, cold and unsmiling as ever, seemed hard as iron. But finally, he was beginning to draw closer in, and he began to notice the scent he had been waiting to inhale. His face softened just for a moment.

Rin, he thought, unconsciously allowing himself to smile inside. He couldn't help it when she was near. And he was thankful that no one else was there to notice the change in his composure. He had left Jakken and Ah-Un behind at the Western Palace. He detested that place, though it was his birthright. So full of a past that he didn't want to remember...

 _Stop. Don't think of it._

Jakken was excellent at running a palace - his arrogant and logical nature made him perfect for setting important dates and running a household. Ah-Un had wished to accompany Sesshomaru, due to his great love for Rin, but Sesshomaru decided that he needed to make this trip alone.

As he moved further forward, her scent began to assault his nostrils. Her fragrance never ceased to amaze him. All other humans smelled like dung-heaps, but Rin was delicate, subtle, and seemingly made of sunlight, and... different. He immediately noticed some changes. She now possessed the smell of a grown woman - it was stronger, fuller, and very, very seductive. In fact, he could tell that she was at the point in her cycle where she would most readily accept a male. All the more reason for him to be vigilant, and avoid allowing harm to come to her. From others, or from him.

When he had last visited, Rin had just reached her fifteenth birthday, and she had changed enormously since the last time he was there. She was essentially a youthful woman - in fact, many of the other girls her age already were married - but she had eyes only for him. He could sense her attraction to him, with her piercing eyes, delicate speech, and most tellingly, in the way her scent changed when he was near her. That was the reason he had not visited in such a long time. He could not trust himself around her - he ruined everything he touched...

 _NO!Don't think of it._

But then he found out, belatedly, through Jakken that Kaede had passed the previous year. The toad had regretted letting his surveillance slip - that was for certain - but he also blamed himself. He should have been paying better attention.

After this discovery, he had warred with his own desires, versus Rin's best interests. Did she wish to remain with other humans? He didn't think so, but much could change for these fickle creatures in only two years. Even if she didn't follow him, he knew he wouldn't be able to leave her without protection of some sort. Unfortunately, it had gone around many youkai circles that the great Sesshomaru had a human "pet" that he would be willing to protect at any cost. That alone always put her in danger, and it was the reason that he insisted on keeping Rin near his fool of a brother. Half-witted though Inuyasha was, he was certainly able to protect her better than any useless human male would be.

He instantly wiped that thought from his head before his demon could come out in full rage. The thought of Rin lying in a village hut, barefoot, with screaming brats running round her, with a common peasant male lying with her night after night, was enough to make him wish to raze the land to the ground. But, if it was what she wanted... he would allow it.

He had to steel his resolve, curb his instincts, and ask her what her wishes were. He simply hoped that the answer wouldn't break him. He had only been broken once before, long ago, by one other...

 _Stop thinking about it!_ He chastised his mind. _I long ago promised that I would never again let that name pass my lips._

But the autumn sky, the desperate flying through the air, the scent of someone that he loved... these three things kept bringing the memories back to him, so that even his steeled will couldn't keep his mind from thinking her name.

 _Inuyuki..._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This story is fiction, based upon the manga Inuyasha written by Rumiko Takahashi. This is intended for non-profit entertainment purposes only, and all rights to all characters are retained by the aforementioned author.

***I'm sorry this isn't the world's longest update. One thing I should mention: I may very well edit past chapters to fix discrepancies, so I hope that doesn't bother anyone. Please feel free to mention to me anything that either isn't historically accurate, or something that contradicts another passage in the story. Please let me know what you think!***

Rin finally, after what seemed an age, made it to the hot spring. She inhaled the cooling summer night air with pleasure, finally aching to soak herself in the hot water. She was beginning to feel the itch once again.

She carefully removed her kimono, unbound her long hair, and stepped into the water. Its heat sent goosebumps up her skin, through her fingertips - and up her thighs. Not now! She thought inwardly. Now that she had a hut of her own, she was able to... scratch the itch at night in bed. She certainly hadn't the nerve to do it out in the open, just in case someone was watching. She couldn't imagine the shame if someone was!

The water was deliciously warm and very high in minerals. In fact, it was one of the best things about living in what was now known as Inuyasha's village. Not only was it great to soak in and relax the mind, but also very healing to cuts and scrapes. One time a few years ago, when Rin was just learning the art of demon-slaying, she had gotten a large gash on her leg from falling onto a rock. After only three days of bathing it in the spring, it was nearly healed, but she could still hear Inuyasha badgering Sango for allowing Rin to get hurt.

"You really think I'm stupid enough to believe that Sesshomaru won't notice a scar that size on Rin's leg? We BOTH know who he'll start swingin' a sword at when he sees it!" They were all standing inside Inuyasha's hut, while Kagome ran out to get herbs for a poultice.

"Really, Inuyasha, it's rather far up on her leg. He probably won't notice at all," Sango said, matter-of-factly, while helping Rin to hold a cloth to her leg and stop the bleeding.

"Yeah, right," scoffed Inuyasha. "My brother's more observant than you think."

Rin, who was gingerly holding the rag to her leg, looked up at Inuyasha with wide eyes. Against her will, her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. At that exact moment, Kagome walked in.

"Rin, what's wrong?" asked Kagome. She immediately turned to her mate. "What did you say now?!"

"Huh? I didn't say nothin'," said Inuyasha sulkily, but Kagome wasn't fooled. She could see that he wasn't looking her in the eye.

"SIT!"

Inuyasha immediately made contact with the ground. Kagome didn't make him any noodles for the whole week.

As embarrassed as Rin was at the time, she looked back at the memory fondly. As time went by, she wondered if she could ever leave them all, even if her lord did come back. She hadn't imagined she could grow so attached to other people, especially after all the pain she had suffered with her family. But they were everything to her.

Well, not everything, she admitted to herself. Who was she kidding? If Sesshomaru-sama came back for her, she would follow him immediately. She just wasn't that sure that it would ever happen. After all, he knew that humans didn't live very long, and that she had passed into adulthood. Yet he still didn't return for her; and it was something that she simply didn't understand.

When they traveled together, she, Sesshomaru-sama, Ah-Un, and Jakken, her life had felt real and complete for the first time since she could remember. Most of the memories she had until Sesshomaru-sama raised her from the dead were of death, violence, and the loss of her family. However, her lord had come like an angel to save her and give her a new life. A life that was often fraught with danger, yes, but a life of excitement, new experiences, and joy.

Those who saw from the outside didn't understand. Many thought that Sesshomaru was simply using her, or that he showed her no affection. That was only because they couldn't see the subtle kindnesses he showed her - stopping for an extra day here or there, so she could gather food; or rescuing her from a dangerous enemy. One could even say that his choice to leave her in the village was an act of love, out of concern for her safety.

Or was it?

It was always in the back of Rin's mind that she had simply been left here so that her lord could continue on without her - so that he could easily be rid of her weak human tendencies. Though her heart felt that this wasn't true, she couldn't help her mind from thinking so.

She decided to end her thoughts and wash her hair. It had been a long time since it had been scrubbed well. Using a nearby stone, she rubbed herself all over, and considered herself done. Stepping out of the spring, she felt clean and revitalized. Why don't I do this more often? She thought. It felt wonderful.

As she stepped out of the water, she froze. She was certain she felt eyes upon her. Her senses told her so, though she felt no youkai presence nearby - well, she didn't until a moment ago, anyway. Now there was a small, barely detectable hint of a youkai. She didn't feel exactly threatened, but she certainly felt uncomfortable. Great, of all times to be caught without my clothes! Instead of gathering her robe, she immediately picked up her staff, which was nearby, and crouched into a defensive fighting stance.

"Who are you, and why do you watch me?" She waited a moment, still feeling the eyes upon her. "Speak, or die!"

Almost instantly after saying this, the uncomfortable feeling of being watched vanished. Rin waited a couple of minutes more, just in case, but a breeze blew suddenly and made her shiver. Cautiously, she put her robe on and decided to head for home. She was never more thankful for Sango's training than she was at that moment, though in her mind, she wished one thing.

She wished that it was Sesshomaru-sama's eyes upon her, and no one else's.

...

After catching Rin's scent, it wasn't long before Sesshomaru came upon the village. He noticed all the huts thatched with hay, the oxen picketed outdoors, the sound of cackling hens. He glanced indifferently at the structures and tried to ignore the awful smells. The only thing that kept him from passing the town in annoyance was reminding himself why he was there.

Rin.

He was surprised when he noticed that the most recent trail she left was away from the village. Moving quickly, he followed the small path into the rocky hills. He smelled no fear, so he was sure she was safe, though he couldn't help but wonder what drove her away from the village at such a late hour, when everyone else there was at home for the night.

Had she sensed his presence? No, that was impossible, he was certain. He had carefully cloaked his youkai aura, keeping it deeply buried. Only the most trained and sensitive youkai could detect him - and even then, his power would seem much lesser than it actually was. He'd had to become accustomed to cloaking his aura, due to the fact that everywhere he went, other youkai were always fighting him, trying to take his name for themselves. Of course, he enjoyed battle immensely, but the word "battle" didn't apply to the slaughter he almost always dealt to those who were foolish enough to assault him. Even the pleasure of bloodshed was beginning to become boring. The only thing he cared for anymore was the thing he was rapidly approaching. He hadn't felt like this in ages.

His weakness was beginning to become irritating. Thoughts of his past kept running through his mind. Why was his control slipping? Why couldn't he keep the memories away, like he always did?

It must be Rin. His love for Rin had changed; he couldn't deny that. He felt much differently about her now than he did when she was a child. Eight short years, and she was already grown. A few more, just a mere season in the life of a youkai, and she would be gone. Yet his love for her had become something intense. Possessive. Consuming.

Not unlike how he had felt two cenuries ago. This time, however, it wouldn't end in bloodshed, regret, and anguish. He would make sure of that.

The breeze in the air disrupted his thoughts. He noticed that he was coming to a clearing in the forest. There were mountains in a circle around it; it was a small valley. Boulders surrounded a steaming pool in the middle of the clearing, with large camphor trees all around it.

That was what had brought Rin this far up the mountain; a hot spring. Of course, he remembered that as a child she had loved them - and that was why he always tried to bring her to one whenever possible. He couldn't understand why she so liked to sit in hot water for hours on end, but then again, he couldn't understand most of the things that appealed to humans.

As he got slightly closer, he saw her. Rin, with her long, shining black hair, her large, beautiful eyes, her newly acquired full figure. He noticed this because Rin wasn't wearing any clothing.

He tried to force his eyes to look elsewhere, sparing her innocence from his gaze, but he was unable. Her rounded hips, the tight skin around her stomach(that wonderful mark of a young female who had not yet borne children), and her full breasts. There was no doubt about it - even among youkai, Rin would be considered a beauty. There was something distinctly wild and untamed about her - she bore the presence of a fighting spirit.

She had just finished bathing herself, and had stepped out of the water. It cascaded down her shoulders, chest, and thighs. She looked like a water-goddess.

Against his will, Sesshomaru felt himself stiffen, and his eyes begin to glow. His carefully hidden aura was beginning to be noticeable, but he couldn't help it. Every fiber of his being wished to go down to that pool, remove his clothing, and pull Rin into it.

Just then, he noticed Rin become uneasy as well. She immediately grabbed her staff, and crouched into a fighting stance. She shouted, "Who are you, and why do you watch me? Speak, or die!" Her energy had suddenly transformed from something benign into something intense. As humans went, her strength of spirit was strong. No match for high-level youkai, to be sure, but strong all the same.

Sesshomaru didn't know whether to be amused, or impressed. He certainly didn't wish to meet Rin this way - it would likely frighten her. He decided to head off to her home, since he knew where she was, and was close enough to come to her assistance, if necessary.

He wasn't sure she would need it, though. And that thought nearly made him smile.

...

Several miles away, far enough for Sesshomaru to be unable to notice their auras, two inu-youkai were searching.

They made a strange sight. One was in his full-youkai form - a large, white dog with black tips to his long coat. He was nearly as large as an elephant, each of his arms was as wide as the trunk of an oak tree, and his hair all stood on end. His eyes, easily the most terrifying part of him, were pools of crimson hate. He caught a scent, and howled.

Upon him sat a female, in her humanesque form. At first glance, she seemed a tall, elegant being, as most powerful youkai were, with long, beautiful blue-silver hair. Her face, however, was horribly scarred - three large slashes covered it almost completely, and blotched all over it were black-brown scales, from burns sustained long ago. One of her eyes was clouded from blindness, and she sat with difficulty upon the other demon, as though her balance was in question. However, one thing about her still exuded power. With one glance of her eye, her anger, intensity, and strength of will could sear to the bone.

"Easy, my brother," she said to the beast. "Our revenge shall not come tonight, nor tomorrow. But I vow to you, before we see the next full moon, that our vengeance shall be had."

Her eyes glowed fiercely with vicious glee.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This story is fiction, based upon the manga Inuyasha written by Rumiko Takahashi. This is intended for non-profit entertainment purposes only, and all rights to all characters are retained by the aforementioned author.

*Lemon Warning! The (tasteful) lemon is in this chapter, so if you don't like lemons, don't read any more :D . I know it's kind of early, but it felt like the right time to go for it. I am actually realizing that this may end up being quite a long story, so I do wish to warn you that it may be a while before this is all finished. Thank you all for the kind reviews, and I hope you continue to like what I write. I hope you all don't think my lemon writing is silly, because I certainly feel kind of silly while writing it :) *

Walking slowly back to her hut, Rin was inhaling the cool night air, enjoying the mild weather. The gentle breeze felt refreshing on her clean skin, and she was glad she had taken Sango's advice. Maybe she would finally get a restful sleep tonight. She hoped so, for it was the evenings when her thoughts tended to drift toward her Sesshomaru-sama, and keeping them out of her mind was as impossible as keeping a river from flowing.

She thought of all the things she admired most about him - his strength, his pride, his intelligence... and yes, she admired his beauty, too. She knew that demons were beautiful in order to attract humans to an untimely doom, but she couldn't care less. The past few times he had visited her, she had noticed it more fully - and she had begun to be aware of how it affected her physically.

Just the memory was enough to make her blush with shame - though she tried to hide it, she was certain that her lord could tell that his presence aroused her. The last time that he had visited her, as they were parting, Rin felt a flush of excitement run through her body, before she could stop it. At the exact same moment, she was certain that Sesshomaru-sama's eyes had narrowed.

Maybe that's why he hasn't come back, she thought. Maybe he knew her feelings and thought them beneath him. Obviously, she was no match for him.

It didn't mean she couldn't dream, though.

Caught in her thoughts, she didn't notice a large outcropping of rock that was sticking out on the trail. Though she walked by it every day, it seemed suddenly to reach out and grab her foot. Crying out in surprise, she stumbled, and fell toward the ground.

However, she didn't reach it. Instead of falling onto the hard, stony path, she fell into deep swaths of rich, white fabric surrounding strong, white arms that were like stone. It happened very quickly, yet it seemed to take a long time. Before she had time to realize it, she was held in a careful, yet firm embrace. As she slowly looked up to see the face of her rescuer, she felt certain that she was dreaming.

"Sesshomaru...sama? Could it really be you?" She looked at him in wonderment, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. "It is you... you finally came back..." she said, smiling happily. She then met his eyes.

And that was when she realized that she was sitting upon his lap, with his arms around her. And oddly enough, he was not letting go. And odder still, a fire burned deep within his eyes. Not quite his demon battle-gaze that she had already seen him give to his foes, but definitely something similar.

"My lord? Is something that Rin is doing displeasing to you?" She had gotten better about speaking differently to the villagers and her friends, but she always spoke as humbly as possible to her lord.

He said nothing. Instead, to her complete and absolute shock, his lips met hers.

...

I cannot wait any longer. I must have her NOW!

Sesshomaru was, for the first time in many years, completely a slave to his inner beast. He made a small, futile attempt to remain in control, but it melted completely away after he laid hands on Rin. He had been watching her carefully, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself. As she fell, he cursed her clumsiness, knowing it would be his undoing. There was no way he would let her injure herself.

As their lips met, he felt her surprise, which was to be expected. But what he didn't expect was to suddenly have her small body fall liquidly into his arms, drinking him in. As she did, he smelled her arousal, wafting through the air like a seductive perfume. At that moment, his instinct hit him like a boulder. He would take her now, though he had planned to wait. That was, unless she showed fear or resistance.

She showed neither; in fact, she surprised him with her boldness by lying back, upon the ground, pulling him to her. Instead, he took them off the path, and laid her upon a small bed of moss, below a small circle of wild cherry trees. The place seemed almost magical, somehow. Very fitting.

Struggling with every ounce of control he had left, he forced his beast inward for a moment, and spoke to her.

"Rin, are you aware of what you are asking me to do?" He wasn't quite sure how to word it; explanations were usually beneath him.

Rin turned slightly red, gazed downward, and said, "Of course, my lord. I am a midwife, after all."

He gazed at her intently. "Do you understand what this shall mean for your future? No human male will touch you after this."

Rin couldn't help herself from smiling. "My lord, no male would have touched me either before or after this. If you will not, then no one ever will." She looked at him with meaning.

It drove him nearly mad with lust.

Quickly, yet gracefully, he was upon the ground with her, their lips pressed together once again, though this time, with great urgency. He could tell by her slight hesitation, nerves, and intensity of reaction that she was indeed untouched. It only excited him even more.

Gently, but firmly, he deepened their kiss. Her excitement was getting greater, so much that he began to move his lips down her neck, slowly opening her kimono. She did nothing to stop it, only moaned. Pulling the robe apart, with the obi still tied, he exposed her left breast. As he laid his hand upon it, she gasped with surprise and pleasure.

He rolled his tongue along it, causing her to stiffen and quiver with delight. He took his time, gently stroking the sides of her belly with the tips of his claws; a feather's touch. She cried out, begging for more.

At that exact moment, he straightened his claws and with uncharacteristic impatience, slit her obi open, exposing what was beneath. Since Rin had gone to and from the spring, she had neglected to put on any undergarments, which was convenient indeed.

Very carefully, he touched that most sacred part of her, taking great care to be delicate with his claws. Though he already knew it by scent, this confirmed it; she was ready for him. He rose.

Rin, suddenly pulled from her ecstasy, looked at him questioningly. "My lord?"

Carefully and methodically, Sesshomaru removed his armor, and layer by layer, his elaborate kimono. As he reached the last layer, he hesitated slightly before removing it, leaving only the hakama on his legs. Kneeling down, he put one arm on either side of Rin, hovering over her. He looked her intensely in the eyes.

"You are sure?"

For the first time in her life, Rin looked at him squarely and said, "I have never been so sure of anything."

He removed, finally, the last layer, revealing himself completely before her. Both awed and intimidated, her eyes grew wide. Before she could feel true fear, he lowered himself atop her, poised at her entrance. He could feel her stiffen with apprehension.

He eased himself in gently, slowly, internally fighting one of the hardest battles of his life - the battle against his own instinct. But if he let his inner beast loose, Rin would likely be torn to shreds. As he reached a certain point, he felt her gasp, though she did not cry out.

"Please, my lord... more..." These words both surprised and excited him. He slowly pushed into her again, her cries of pleasure inflaming him further. As he moved, first slowly, then faster and faster, her gasping turned to cries, then shrieks of ecstasy. As he hit his climax, he instinctively bit into her neck, penetrating her flesh. She called out in pleasure, not pain.

As they came down from their climax, he held her protectively, his possessiveness kicking into a new dimension. Before, Rin had meant more to him than he ever would have admitted to anyone, even himself. Only once, when she was lost in the Underworld, did he ever truly understand that her value was his greatest treasure.

However, now that he had mated with her, his instinct demanded that he protect her above all else, even Bakusaiga. He had an intense desire to take her with him to his palace, where he knew she would be safe. His original plan was to travel with her a while in the wild, gaining further information about his inevitable (but unimportant) enemies.

Then again, the palace wasn't completely safe, itself. His mother would be there, and although she completely acquiesced to any demands he made, she had her own devious ways of flouting his decrees, while not expressly going against them. He was certain that she would see Rin as a threat to her status, and act accordingly.

Pulled out of his reverie, he lay beside Rin, holding her close. Her shock was still evident, as was to be expected. After all, this was not how master and warden commonly greeted after two years of absence.

"My lord, I-" he silenced her, laying his long finger across her lips. "Do not speak, Rin. Nothing more needs to be said that we don't already understand." He looked at her intensely.

Smiling slightly, she nodded, falling asleep in his arms.

...

Rin was surprised to wake late in the night, lying in her own bed, with her lord absent. Lying down, after realizing he wasn't there, she had a small pang in her chest. Maybe he realized he made a mistake, she thought to herself, though she knew it couldn't be true. Not with the way he held her so tightly the night before, and the way that his lips pressed against her, and the way he looked at her so intently as he lay atop her...

She was beginning to blush, thinking of their time together. Of course, she had long had dreams about such things, but she never imagined that her lord returned her feelings that way. Obviously, she had greatly misjudged his affection for her - he didn't view her indifferently, as a ward. He saw her as a woman. You were right, Kaede, she thought, thinking fondly of her beloved mentor.

She was about to stretch, and get up, when she heard a sound outside her door. Slowly, trying to minimize her own noise, she grabbed her staff, preparing to defend herself if necessary. However, the only thing that came in was a small brown Shiba dog.

"Kikou!" she called. He ran and jumped into her lap, though not before turning to the door to growl low in his throat. Sesshomaru was standing at the door, looking haughtily at Kikou.

"Kikou, hush!" said Rin. "This is my lord, who I have told you about!" Kikou looked at her with confusion plain on his face. He then turned and showed Sesshomaru his teeth.

"Kikou, NO!" He began to struggle against her embrace. "If you're going to be that way, you can go outside," she said, putting him on the other side of the threshold and closing the door.

"I'm sorry about that, my lord. Kikou is very wary of strangers, especially strange youkai." She got up, holding her bedclothes around her as she made tea.

"It's a good thing for you to have a dog like that around you. He will keep you safe." Sesshomaru watched Rin as she poured boiling water from the kettle onto the powdered tea leaves, patiently stirring them, and wrinkling her nose once the scent reached it. He always loved to watch this ritual of hers, one she didn't even know she had.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Rin sipping her tea, and rubbing her thumbs against the cup, while Sesshomaru sat quietly, looking ahead with his stoic gaze. Rin was trying to figure out what she ought to speak about, if anything. She found it ironic that she had been such a chatterbox as a child, but was now unable to find even a single word to say.

"My lord... about the previous evening... I know you told me not to speak, but I must. I..."

At that moment, they both felt it, as if out of nowhere.

A large, powerful youkai aura hit them like an avalanche of stones. It wasn't far away, either - maybe a mile or so north of the village. Rin was surprised to see Sesshomaru's eyes redden almost immediately.

"Stay here, Rin, and do not move from this spot," he said, his eyes immediately drawn in the direction of the disturbance.

"But my lord, I can help-"

"STAY HERE." For the first time in her life, her lord turned his gaze against her, and she was momentarily frightened. Then, the realization hit her: He sees you as his mate now. She knew, from Kagome, that dog youkai were incredibly protective of new mates. This was because immediately after first mating, another dog youkai was likely to try to compete for mating rights. Rin had a hard time understanding why, until Kagome said, "Have you ever seen Kikou with a bone? Of course, he likes it well enough, but if he saw another dog chewing a different bone, he would want it simply because someone else has it. It's the same, apparently, with dog youkai and their mates. Let me tell you, the first month of our married life was impossible. Inuyasha wouldn't even let me fetch water without following me."

Rin sat down on her bed with her teacup, as Sesshomaru walked outside the hut. She suddenly realized that he must have been carefully monitoring the borders of the village, watching after her. She was surprised, but pleased that he loved her so. At least, that was what he hoped, especially since he hadn't said as much yet...

Oh, come off it, Rin! She thought to herself. Sesshomaru, who barely acknowledged the existence of anyone but himself, actually saying the words "I love you?" Unlikely. He showed her love enough in his actions - he obviously treated her far better than he treated any other living being.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw a cloaked figure draw near the hut. Feeling no demonic aura, she wasn't worried, but that was no reason not to be cautious. Oddly enough, Kikou was nowhere to be seen - usually he immediately alerted her to strangers. She stayed inside the hut until the figure approached.

"Hello?" said the squeaky, weathered voice of an old woman. "Be this the house of the famous healer Kaede?" Rin tried to get a good look at the figure, but all she could see was the cloak, which completely shaded the face. The figure was tall, though heavily hunched over. Grey hair fell out through the front of the hood.

Standing cautiously, Rin walked to the side of the door and spoke. "Old woman, I hate to be the bearer of ill news, but Kaede passed this past year. I am her protegè; may I help you?" Rin, being eternally cautious, left the door closed.

"Kaede was the keeper of a rare herb that no one else has - I came here to get some for my great granddaughter's fever." There was something strange in her voice; Rin couldn't place it.

"I'm so sorry, but I have no herbs anymore - the new village priestess has them all," Rin said, nervously rubbing her fingers together. She slowly reached for her staff.

Just then, the door fell down, broken to pieces from an unknown force. Before her stood the most ugly, and yet most beautiful youkai Rin had ever seen. She had a crooked posture, a hideously scarred face, one blinded eye, and long, beautiful silver hair. But that was not her most striking feature. Her good eye - the eye that could see - was terrifying. It was violet colored, and seemed to see not only through everything, but into everything, as though it could read thoughts.

Rin took a fighting stance, but the youkai only laughed. "So the whore dares to try to fight me? Don't make me laugh," she said, though her eye had anything but laughter in it. Rin swung her staff expertly, but the she-youkai blocked it as if swatting a fly. At the next swing, she grabbed the staff straight out of Rin's hands, effortlessly. She looked at it, musing, "How sad. I was never a fighter, and even I can defeat you." Looking slowly, her eye suddenly narrowed. "And yet still he chooses YOU."

Rin, frozen to the spot, had never felt such a feeling. It was almost as if this she-youkai's hate itself were her weapon. It hit her so heavily that she was completely unable to move - almost as if it had its claws in her flesh. She tried to move her hands, her arms, her feet, anything; but it was almost as if her body had given up hope.

She could do nothing, as the she-youkai swung the staff directly at the back of her head, sending her mind to darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

_*I'm sorry that this isn't a very long update. I promise that some much longer ones are coming soon. I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what you think. Thanks very much!*_

On high alert, Sesshomaru rushed quickly to the place where this youkai dared to intrude. Inuyasha's presence was enough to keep the majority away; some wishing to prove some sort of bravery, or to take away his sword, inevitably came to challenge him. They never lasted long.

The sheer size of this aura was massive - it had been a long time indeed since Sesshomaru had encountered such a large amount of power from a single demon. In a way, it felt familiar to him - as had the small creature Rin was keeping as a pet.

The dog.

When he first saw its face, he recognized it immediately. A creature that was neither youkai nor truly dog, but somewhere in between. Their sole existence was to protect their human master from harm, sensing youkai auras and even being somewhat efficient at fighting them. Once again, he was becoming lost in thoughts of their creator.

Inuyuki... the irony that she was the one to create something that would protect Rin from harm. It was almost enough to make him smile.

Noticing a shift in the aura gave him a quick jolt back to reality. He was able to catch a scent, and it was another of his own kind - dog youkai. It was coming closer. Sesshomaru alighted unto the ground, waiting for his enemy's approach. He was trying to supress his aura, though he knew that a youkai with this level of power would have no difficulty detecting him. He couldn't care less - defending Rin was the only thing on his mind.

At that moment, a large, fully transformed inuyoukai walked into the clearing where Sesshomaru stood. He was white, like most of the dog-youkai clan, with a large black mark in the shape of a figure-eight on his forehead. He was nearly as large as the meadow - a respectable size for a dog-youkai, though certainly not as large as Sesshomaru, or anywhere near as large as the late InuTaisho. He glared at Sesshomaru and roared his displeasure.

I have smelled his scent before, Sesshomaru thought to himself. He was trying to place it, but couldn't. It was unusual for his memory to fail him, though the heat of impending battle was pushing other thoughts from his mind. The somewhat irrational possessiveness that had just overtaken him was nearly impossible to control - Rin was his, and no one else's.

"I shall warn you this once. Leave, or die." Sesshomaru stood tensely still, staring down his enemy, with an veiled threat hanging in the air. The other dog-youkai simply snarled. Sesshomaru sharpened his claws, ready for attack. Then, a deep, feminine voice spoke.

"Desist, my brother."

The speaker appeared, walking slowly between them with uneven steps.

Impossible.

For the first time in many, many years, Sesshomaru's face was unable to hide his intense shock. His eyes gaped as they took in her long, lithe, scarred form. Scars he himself had given her, more than two hundred fifty years ago. She was supposed to be dead.

He forced himself to recover quickly, but the damage was done - she had seen his sudden weakness. She smiled mockingly, and looked at Sesshomaru piercingly with her one good eye. "Why, look, brother! We happened to run into the great Sesshomaru. We've even managed to surprise him."

"I see you fared better than I had expected," Sesshomaru said icily, regaining his normal demeanor.

At this, her smile disappeared, and her demeanor darkened. "It would take far more than your half-hearted attacks to kill me." Obviously restraining herself from violence, she tensed all over, and then relaxed, as though she were remembering something. "Well, I hope you aren't still so violent and given to anger. I hear you're keeping much more delicate company these days."

Sesshomaru's normal, haughty countenance had returned, but when she said this, she felt his veiled anger as he said, "I know nothing of what you speak." Inwardly, it was all he could do to keep from running up to this ill-bred creature and opening her throat, as he should have long ago.

"Really?" Her nose tipped upward, and she sniffed the air. "I can smell a human girl all over you. You mated with her, that much is obvious." She looked at him quizzically. "I cannot even begin to imagine what could cause the perfect Sesshomaru to begin doing something so low as bedding humans. Then again, you always kept strange company."

Sesshomaru tensed. "Silence." Sharpening his claws, he dove in to finally kill this creature. However, the menacing form of the white dog-youkai got in his way, growling. He was surprised by its speed - far greater than he had expected. The she-youkai smiled, and sailed upon dog's back with unexpected speed.

"Of course, Sesshomaru, you remember my beloved brother. I'm afraid he won't allow you to kill me - at least, not today. I know for a fact, however, that we shall meet again. And when we do, you shall have suffered far more than I."

With that, the two of them sailed off into the sky. He began to follow them, easily catching up, before he remembered Rin. Of course, he had to get back right away. The whole situation felt somehow like a trap. A trap he had foolishly fallen into.

After all, it wasn't the first time that this wicked creature had tried to destroy his life.

...

Rin slowly came to, groaning loudly. Her head felt as though it were filled with thousands of writhing snakes, eating it from within. She put her hand over her eyes, wishing she could go back to sleep. At the moment, however, what she needed the most was water. Seeing no other way to get it, she slowly got up. Putting her hand down, she felt something soft.

Strange, she thought, trying to remember the events leading up to her headache. Suddenly, it hit her. That youkai-woman! She hit me and knocked me out cold! Snapping her eyes open, she began to get up in earnest, hoping to meet her lord as he returned and tell him the awful events. She was certain that the creature would be dead in a matter of hours.

It was then that she noticed that she was not alone in the room.

Across the room, lying on the floor, was a young woman. She had long, black hair, long legs, decidedly fair skin, and honey colored eyes. She looked so familiar...

Slowly, Rin moved closer, as not to startle whomever it was. But she noticed very quickly that the body was still. Too still. Her legs were splayed sideways and there was blood coming out from a small opening under her chest. Her eyes seemed lifeless - she was certainly dead. She was grasping a large bone knife.

Terrified, Rin jumped up, and started to scream. She suddenly recognized the body.

It was hers.

And Sesshomaru-Sama was standing in the doorway, looking like death warmed over.

...

Sesshomaru stood quietly at the door for a moment, disbelieving everything his nose told him.

No. NO! I cannot lose you again!

The words sounded throughout his head, but the only thing that came out was a howl of anguish. Once again, Rin had died. Once again, someone he loved had slipped through his grasp, and it was his fault. And he knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that there would be no bringing her back this time.

Falling to his knees, he grabbed Rin's beautiful, elegant, cold fingers. He stroked her cheek, and looked into her lifeless eyes. And then he noticed it. A long, thin knife made of bone. The claw of a dog-youkai, to be exact. It had a large, serrated edge, and had two characters carved into the hilt.

She had done it. Again.

Looking at the doorway, he realized the dog was there. The small brown creature took no notice of him, but immediately ran to the far corner of the hut, barking fiercely into the corner at nothing. It turned to face him, looking meaningfully into his eyes. It was trying to tell him something. And he knew exactly what it was.

Rin's spirit was still here.

That told him all he needed to know. Rushing to the threshold, he looked back one last time. Then, he turned, rage filling his spirit. His eyes glowed fiercely red, his countenance swiftly changed. His limbs grew, his claws curved, his fangs elongated. He became the essence of the terrifying beast that he was.

He had neglected to finish her last time. There was no way that he would make that mistake again. This time, she would die.

Painfully.


	5. Chapter 5

Rin sat in the corner of her hut, crying. She had died before, twice. But it had never been like this. Both of those times, she had vague memories of being sucked into the underworld. But this time, she was somehow stuck in the world of the living. To have to see the look in Sesshomaru-sama's eyes was simply unbearable.

Kikou sat in front of her, looking carefully. She knew that he couldn't see her, but he could definitely sense her presence. She tried to speak to him. "Kikou?"

His ears perked at her voice. He could hear her, somehow! It made her feel less alone. She was so uneasy around her body, even though it belonged to her, but she was unable to leave the hut - a barrier of some kind kept her bound. She seemed doomed to be stuck in a living Hell, forever.

Just then, when she least expected it, she heard the rustle of feet. She ran toward the door, carefully avoiding her body. Looking outside, she saw a sight that surprised her - Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and their children! They must be back from their time spent every fall in the forest. Sango always went to lay flowers on the graves of those in her former village, and the others always helped her. Rin usually did too, but this year she had been... preoccupied.

As they got closer, Rin could her them speaking. "I told you, Inuyasha, NOT to get involved! Rin's choices are her own! There's a reason that we didn't ask her to go with us this year - I could sense Sesshomaru heading this way!" Kagome sounded irritated, as usual.

"Oh yeah? Well then why didn't I sense it!"

"Because you've lost your edge," dug in Miroku.

"Oh, and you're just all kinds of useful, now, Miroku, since you can't use your Wind Tunnel anymore!"

Everyone grumbled at Inuyasha, as they always did.

It brought a smile to Rin's face, but something was wrong. Why didn't they smell the blood? Why couldn't they sense the aura that was strung all over this place?

It was then that Rin noticed that Kagome had frozen, her eyes on Rin's doorway.

"Kagome, come ON!" yelled Inuyasha.

"No, I need to go check on Rin."

"Are you kidding me? I can smell my stupid brother all over this place. If he's been in Rin's hut, I have no desire to see what's been going on in there!"

"Give it a rest, Inuyasha!" said Sango, but she gave a funny look at Kagome, laying down her Hirakotsu. "What is it, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes had dilated. "Something isn't right here," she said, cocking her head. She turned to Sango. "Can you sense it? I feel as though something bad has happened, and I ought to go in there, but I am simply incapable of walking forward. It's like a barrier, but a strange one."

Sango looked at the hut, too. She tried to walk toward it, but it was as though her feet were frozen to the ground.

"Strange," she said.

"Barrier? Problem solved," said Inuyasha, raising his Tetsusaiga. Before anyone else said anything, he sliced through the barrier. It was unlike any they had ever seen before. When the sword broke through, a black flash blinded their eyes, a sickly, dead smell rose through the air, and a ghostly scream whined through the forest.

"Very, very dark magic," said Miroku. Sango and Kagome immediately ran for the hut as fast as they possibly could. "Wait!" called Miroku. You don't know what's in there!"

"I do, and it's bad!" whispered Inuyasha. "I can't believe I didn't smell it before!" He ran after the women.

"Children, stay here, and don't move from this spot. Here is my staff; use it to ward off anything evil that may come." Miroku slowly walked after the other three.

What he saw inside the hut broke his heart.

Sango, Kagome and Inuyasha surrounded Rin's body. She had a stab wound on the bottom of her chest, and was holding a bone knife. It looked as if she had self-inflicted the wound.

Kagome was weeping softly, and Sango had tears running down her face. They knelt next to Rin's body, their hands gently touching her. Inuyasha, however, had his hands balled into fists.

Why?

Of course, everyone knew that Rin was saddened by being left alone. But as Inuyasha said, Sesshomaru had been here recently. Unless...

Maybe he had refused to allow Rin to return with him? And this was Rin's answer to a life in the village? He couldn't completely blame her - she was barely accepted, and definitely an outcast. She certainly belonged with Sesshomaru far more than she belonged in the human world.

But suicide? It seemed completely unlike her.

The women cried for some time. Miroku and Inuyasha walked outside, unable to bear the scene much longer.

Inuyasha looked pensive - an unusual expression for him. "Why, Miroku? Why would she do it?"

"I don't know, Inuyasha. But doesn't this all seem strange?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we found Sesshomaru's scent here. But this barrier is obviously not of his making. Who would enclose Rin's body in a barrier after suicide?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha admitted. "I don't find that the strangest thing, though. Why does she have that knife? It looks like a youkai blade - certainly made out of youkai bone. The aura on that thing is unbelievable."

Miroku debated for a moment. He had a hunch, but he didn't want to irritate Inuyasha; bringing up dog-youkai culture could sometimes make him mad. "Well, do you know if your brother had an enemy?"

Inuyasha snorted. "The entire country, you mean?"

"No, really. Is there someone who may have a personal grudge against him?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I was being serious! Everyone hates my brother. I don't know a damn thing about his life with his uppity family. For all I know, they all want him dead. Wouldn't surprise me."

Just then, they heard Kagome call out inside the hut. "Inuyasha!"

"What is it?" They were both in like a flash.

"Look at this! Look at her wrist!" Kagome held up one of Rin's wrists. A single character was etched into her flesh: "Fool."

"What does that mean?" Kagome demanded.

"Why the hell you asking me?!" Inuyasha shot back.

"Look at the wound," said Sango. "Once we saw it closely, we could see that it doesn't go very deep - it's only deep enough to bleed out over her chest."

"That's not all," added Kagome. "Feel her wrist."

Inuyasha held it for a few seconds. Impatiently, he started, "What the hell are you playing-" and he felt it. A small, light, but identifiable THUD. Naw, he thought, but about 15 seconds later, he felt it again, for sure.

"She's not dead," said Kagome. "But I can tell that her soul is not within her body."

"How?" asked Inuyasha.

"I don't know... I can just feel it. Her soul isn't far away, either. I can feel her presence here. And look at Kikou." She motioned to the corner of the hut. "He isn't paying her body any attention. He's sitting in the corner, staring at it for some reason." Indeed, the little dog was looking at the corner, concentrating fiercely. He gave a small, sharp bark, startling everyone.

"Well then what's going on?" Inuyasha spat out, irritated by the whole situation.

"I would think it's obvious," Miroku said. "Someone wants Rin's body, and wanted to keep it here out of reach. That's why they put up that barrier - a powerful one, that even kept the smell of blood inside of it. Their second defense, if the barrier was broken, was to give Rin a weapon that was clearly cursed, so that no one would dare approach her. They want to use it for something."

Everyone gave Miroku an incredulous gaze.

"You might be right," said Sango. "But what do we do now?"

"I don't know," Kagome replied, blankly. She held Rin's hand, and squeezed it, tight.

...

Rin watched them in stunned silence. I'm not dead? she thought in disbelief. Momentarily, she was elated, until she remembered that she was still stuck out of her body, and had no idea how to get back.

The others were debating the proper course of action. They felt the need to watch over Rin's body, and make certain that it stayed safe. However, they also didn't want to take the risk of anyone touching the cursed bone-blade and becoming possessed. There was much argument for a long time, until they all decided that they would bring Rin carefully to Inuyasha's hut, where he could continually guard her body, while Kagome would carry the blade, without touching it, and attempt to put a purification barrier around it.

Rin was unable to hold back tears as she watched Inuyasha and Miroku pick up her body, and move it out of her hut. After they left, she ran out, finally freed from the barrier, with Kikou following. In a daze, she went as quickly as she could, without even thinking of where she was going. Before she knew it, she was in the meadow she had spent most of her time practicing martial arts in.

She sat herself underneath the ancient maple tree and cried for a long time, with Kikou watching mournfully. It wasn't fair - all her dreams had just come true! Sesshomaru-sama had proved to her that he loved her, in the most intimate of ways. It seemed she was finally going to be with him forever. And now, her life was ruined by a selfish, vengeful youkai-woman!

Who was she, anyway? Hadn't she mentioned something about Sesshomaru-sama choosing Rin over her? She must be someone from his past!

Rin had scarcely ever thought of Sesshomaru-sama's past. She knew he was old - far older than humans could live - but he was not old for one of his kind. He was, by their standards, in his young-adulthood. He never spoke of anyone, and the only other full-blooded dog youkai that Rin had ever met was Sesshomaru-sama's mother.

Who, then, was this woman?

Rin, deeply lost in her thoughts and miseries, was trying to figure out what to do next. She stood, slowly, wondering where she should go, and what she should do. As she turned around, she gave a start of surprise. Someone was standing there - and she hadn't even noticed.

It was a woman - no, wait - it was a youkai!

Startled, Rin ran behind the tree, shivering. The last thing she needed was another encounter with a crazed youkai - maybe this one wanted to eat her soul, or something!

"I'm so sorry, Rin, I didn't mean to frighten you. Please come out - I won't hurt you."

The voice, clear and beautiful as a bell, sounded not the least bit vengeful and angry, but Rin wasn't taking any chances.

"How can I know that?" She asked. "The creature that just killed me spoke sweetly enough at first!"

"Oh, I know that all too well," the lovely voice said, with a slight bitterness. "But like you, I am only a spirit."

Rin, slightly mollified, though still wary, peeked out from behind the tree, looking at the youkai-woman. When the woman saw she was watching, she stuck her arm above her head into one of the tree branches. It went straight through, making no contact with the wood whatsoever. She was a spirit, just as she said.

"I know you don't know me, Rin, but I've known you for a very long time. I've followed you ever since you were seven years old. If I'd meant you harm, you would be dead by now."

Of course, this didn't make Rin feel any safer, but something in the woman's voice told her that she could be trusted. There was something about it - whether it was sadness, or gentleness, or both, Rin couldn't tell. Anyway, what did she have to lose at this point? She didn't see any way of getting back into her body. Who cared if her soul was eaten?

She approached very slowly, looking at the youkai. She was, by far, the most beautiful being Rin had ever seen, ghost though she was. Even Sesshomaru-sama couldn't possibly be compared to her. Her skin was the color of milk, with pinkish tones throughout. She had no markings on her face, as Sesshomaru-sama had. Unlike most dog youkai, her hair was the color of blackest night, beautifully wrapped around a small wooden comb at the top of her head, and cascading down her shoulders, spilling all the way down to her knees. Her legs, fingers, and arms were incredibly long, delicate, and shapely. Her large eyes were a beautiful blue that was the deep color of twilight. She wore a simple black cloak, but on her, it looked finer than any seven-layer kimono worn by the most beautiful noblewoman. Rin felt hideous and ungainly beside such an elegant creature.

"How do you know me?" Rin asked, walking warily closer.

The creature sat upon one of the boulders underneath the maple, and gazed into Rin's eyes. "I have followed you ever since you began following Sesshomaru. Where he goes, I go also."

Shocked, Rin stared at her. Before she could ask why on earth this was the case, Kikou, who had gone off in the forest to quickly drink some water, ran barking towards the woman. Rin noticed, however, that he was barking at her the same way he did when Rin returned to him from a long day of work in the fields. He gleefully did figure eights around her, his pink tongue lolling joyously out of his mouth. The youkai-woman smiled at him, saying, "Oh, how I wish I could take you in my arms, little friend!" The joy in her voice was so much more lovely than the sorrow that Rin wasn't sure she could take it.

"Well, you seem to know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you," said Rin, somewhat icily. The youkai, distracted from her joy at meeting Kikou, gazed at Rin, somewhat mollified.

"Of course, Rin, I apologize for not introducing myself properly. My name is Inuyuki."


	6. Chapter 6

_*Sorry for the long time between updates! The holidays are taking up all of my spare time. I would like to extend a casual warning here - one I probably should have warned of from the get-go. There IS going to be a romance story between Sesshomaru and an original character, that takes place centuries before Rin is even born. I hope it won't bother die-hard Sesshomaru/Rin fans, but it could. Keep in mind that I am 100% Sesshomaru/Rin myself. I just think it's not outside the realm of possibility that there were others before her, though :) . I hope you like this chapter - it's taken forever to write!*_

The two had sat down, their legs crossed. Rin was confused, but curious. Could this she-youkai be part of Sesshomaru-sama's past? Rin was definitely interested.

"I am very, very sorry that you are lost from your body," Inuyuki said. She lowered her eyes and said demurely, "The same thing happened to me long ago, and I was never able to get it back."

This did nothing to ease the nagging fears in the back of Rin's mind. "Does that mean there's no hope for me?"

"I'm not sure," Inuyuki said, though Rin thought for certain that something flashed momentarily in her eyes.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments, before Rin finally said, "Well, if you don't mind my asking... how come you're talking to me? I'm a human; you're not. I follow Sesshomaru-sama, you do as well. I would think that would make us..." Rin struggled for the right word.

"Rivals?" Inuyuki asked, her eyebrows raising. "No, we definitely are not. My time is past; I have no body to go back to, as you have."

"Well, what happened to it? Sesshomaru-sama once told me that when youkai die, they don't continue on to the afterlife, like humans do." Rin was getting insatiably curious now; the same curiousity that had driven Jakken mad. There was no stopping her until she got her answers.

Inuyuki was silent for a few moments, looking pensive. "That is an incredibly long story. I do not mind telling it, but it will take a considerable amount of time."

Rin looked sideways as she said, "Well, it's not as though either of us is going anywhere anytime soon."

At this, Inuyuki smiled gently. "No," she replied, "I suppose we're not. I will tell you; I hope that what I say does not make you think less of your lord." She sighed, looked down, and then began to speak.

...

I am of a very old youkai line that lived in the wilds of the western mountains. We were a small family, and we lived an unusual life.

My father was Inuyoukai, and my mother was an ice-youkai. They were both very kind and gentle souls, and didn't live much in youkai civilization. We actually lived in a small village that was inhabited by humans. I know it sounds strange, and it was, even for that time. But my father had a liking for them, and they had come to accept and even care for us. I'm certain that it was mostly because we helped defend them from enemies, but after a few human generations, my father was able to live among them seamlessly.

I was very young when my mother died. When my father found out, he brought me to live in his human village. I found it strange at first, but accepted it with the trusting nature of a child. My father and I developed a type of dog that had minor youkai abilities, such as sensing youkai auras. They were very wise and unusually intelligent animals. Our human friends in the village valued them immensely.

I lived like this, content in the village with my father, until I was ten years old. At that time, a distant cousin of his visited us. She was elegant and beautifully clothed, with white hair (I found this unusual; my father and I were both dark-haired), and she was barely able to hide her disapproval of our lifestyle.

"Inushiro, I can barely believe that you tolerate life like this," I remember her saying, as she stepped into our modest house, where I was sorting herbs. She looked around disdainfully, until she saw me.

"I did not know you had a child," she said. She approached, and looked into my eyes, which gazed away from her in fear. "Such an unusual beauty! Look at all that dark hair!"

My father, who was being unusually gracious (he had a temper that was famous), said, "Yes, Inukimi-sama. I take great pride in my daughter."

"One would be hard-pressed to believe so," she replied, looking around our hut with distaste. "Inushiro, I am needing a new hand-maiden. I am going to insist that you allow Inuyuki to accompany me."

"To the Western Palace?" My father looked slightly pale; but inside, I felt as though my world was crashing down. "But what will the Inu no Taisho have to say about this? You know that in comparison to your side of the family, our power is small."

"One would usually say so, but I sense something of potential greatness in your daughter." She looked at me with her golden, piercing eyes.

"But-" my father began, as this Inukimi swept past him, with my hand in hers. "You know that you owe me many great favors, Inushiro. Now is the time in which I will call upon them. Your daughter will spend the next hundred years at the palace. Where she wishes to go after that will be her decision."

My father had no choice but to accept. Inuyoukai are very different from most other youkai, many of whom spend their lives largely alone. Like dogs themselves, we have an intricate social hierarchy, and it must be observed. Unless you are confident that you are more powerful and can overthrow someone who is more dominant than you are, it is foolish to object to the whims of the powerful ones, or their mates. Inukimi was dominant over my father; and he had to do as she said, or risk losing his life.

We said a tearful goodbye, and I followed Inukimi to the Western Palace. I had no idea what to expect, and I was afraid. I was determined, however, not to do anything that would disgrace my father and his family line.

It is difficult to put into words the beauty, elegance, and sheer size of the Western Palace. It is far more elegant and beautiful than even the most ornate buildings men can make, and it is heavily enchanted, as well. The Inu no Taisho had it built to house his family, and keep them from harm, especially during his many wars with other youkai clans. He had to trust that its magic would keep them safe.

Inukimi-sama set me to work immediately as her handmaiden in the castle. This was highly unusual, since most handmaidens were picked from among the maids already there; you could say that I had was an instant favorite of hers. This did nothing to help me have a good relationship with the other maids, so I was very lonely and outcast. They teased me, mocked me, and did everything they could to make my life more difficult.

One day, when Inukimi-sama was gone from the castle on a personal errand, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I ran to one of the large cherry trees outside in the garden, bringing with me the largest hairpin I could find, nearly six inches long. I said aloud, 'I go now to meet you, mother,' and prepared to drive it into my heart. However, before I could, a hand grasped itself over mine, stopping it.

'Why do you do this?' I heard next to me, and when I opened my eyes, it was Sesshomaru I saw. He was much younger then than he is now - and quite small, only an older child, like I myself was at the time.

'I - I don't know,' I stammered, surprised.

'Yes, you do,' he said in his matter-of-fact way. 'You simply don't know how to tell me.'

I looked down as I said, 'I miss my family. I miss my dogs. I miss my freedom.' I looked up, and was surprised to see him simply staring at me, blank-faced. Sesshomaru was not always as cold and ruthless as he is now, but he was always distant and quiet. He was so silent for so long that I was certain he wasn't going to speak to me.

Then, he said, 'Be thankful. Those are all things that I have never had.' He began to walk away.

The next day, while I was mending silk, a young demoness came in to tell me that my presence had been requested outside, in the kennels, by Sesshomaru. She looked as astonished as I felt. I had no idea that any kennels were kept somewhere as grand as the Western Palace.

I arrived in the kennels, which were a large wooden building not unlike a barn. There were beams in the ceilings, as well as individual doors holding each dog behind it. They were an unusual breed for our country - very, very large and ferocious. I could tell that they had little love for anyone or anything.

I didn't notice any of these things as much as I might have, however. Sesshomaru was standing at the end of the barn, looking at me quietly. He said, 'You told me that you miss your dogs. I've been told that you have a talent for breeding them. Take these and make them better.'

'But how do you want them changed? If they are war-dogs, then they seem to fit the task well.' I couldn't see how I could make them much stronger or more intelligent - in simply being around them for a few moments, I could see that few youkai could resist them on the battlefield.

'If your talent is as great as your reputation, you should be able to figure it out for yourself,' he said, haughtily. I had a sudden flash of temper and said, 'Mind reading isn't one of those talents.'

Everyone in the stable, from the kennel-master down to the boy scrubbing the floors, turned and looked at me incredulously. No one dared to speak to the son of the Inu no Taisho himself in such a way. I think that they were all expecting me to be immediately obliterated. However, instead Sesshomaru smiled.

No, Rin, don't give me such a horrified look. It wasn't one of those smiles. When he does that, it means he has no other way he could possibly show his displeasure. Like I told you, Sesshomaru was not the same in those days. He was still largely humorless, but it amused him that someone dared stand up to him. For whatever reason, he decided not to kill me. In retrospect, I was incredibly lucky.

He looked at me and said, 'Very well. These dogs are ruthless and perfect for tearing enemies to shreds. What I would like changed is their ability to obey. They don't always respect their handlers.'

'That's easy to see,' I said, looking one of the snarling animals in the eye. 'They have no love for you, and see you only as a captor. You need to mix in blood with some more common dogs that will obey well. It will take a few generations to get it right.'

The kennel master, who was listening intently, looked at me with indignation. 'Common dogs? You must be kidding.'

'Certainly not. The aggression in these animals has not been balanced with respect. The breeding has to go back to the beginning.'

'Do as she says.' Sesshomaru looked meaningfully at the kennel-master.

'But, my lord-"

'Tell me, Kuji-san, do I ever repeat myself twice?" He may have been smaller and younger, but Sesshomaru still had a will of iron and a dominance that couldn't be outdone. Kuji-san bowed his head.

'Yes, my lord.'

'Very well. Do what needs to be done.' He walked away, slowly. My mind was reeling. Had this truly happened, or was it a dream? Why had Sesshomaru taken such a fancy to a common housemaid, a relative so far removed and simple? It was a mystery to me.

Inukimi-sama returned some days later. When she found out what had happened, she was annoyed, but could do nothing. Sesshomaru may have been her son, but she had limited power over him. The only one who did was the Inu no Taisho, and he was, as usual, gone off on conquest. She had no choice but to consent to allow me to spend much of my time in the kennels.

This pleased me greatly. Though I grew to have affection for Inukimi-sama (she severely punished the other maids who teased me to the point where they hardly dared look at me, for fear), I still saw her as the woman who had taken my life from me. For all the splendor of the palace, I missed my father, my dogs, and even the human villagers.

I poured my heart and soul into creating the perfect dog of war. They were precise, bloodthirsty, with powerful youkai abilities, and very hard to defeat; yet they submitted well to an Inuyoukai who had a properly alpha attitude. They were loyal unto death.

The Inu no Taisho himself greatly approved of the animals; he won many, many wars with them. Of course, I saw him very little (which was fine with me, since I found him terrifying), but I was glad to be of good use.

One late evening, I was out in the gardens, under the ancient Sakura trees, which happened to be in bloom. I was holding a puppy on my lap, lost in my thoughts, when Sesshomaru approached me quietly. We had both grown; we were about as old as teenaged humans. I couldn't help blushing and looking away; his presence always held me on edge. I was beginning to realize that I loved him, and this was something that was absolutely forbidden. Yet I couldn't help myself.

He looked at me, almost as though he had no idea of what to say. "I greatly admire what you have done," he said, which is about the most elaborate compliment I'd ever heard him give. He then continued, "Tell me - do you still miss your father? The hundred years here are almost over, and you may go and see him within the next change of seasons." This surprised me; I had known that the time was coming, but I didn't realize it would be so soon.

I said, carefully, "Yes, I would very much like to visit my father. I'm not sure what I would do afterwards, though, as my service to your mother will be released." I hadn't much thought about it, but it was true - that meant I wouldn't see Sesshomaru anymore. I was suddenly very conflicted.

"Why do you look so downcast?" He asked, his eyes narrowing. I blushed again, and rolled my fingers through the puppy's hair. The animal immediately got irritated, snapped at me, and ran off. His eyes followed the dog. "They can sense your unease, and so can I. Tell me." He said that as a command, so I had no choice. I knew he'd be able to tell if I was lying.

"I - I will greatly miss my life here, as well now. I have been here so long, and made more friends than I ever imagined I would. I will miss this garden, miss the dogs, miss Inukimi-sama, and..." I looked up almost defiantly as I said, "And I'll miss you as well, my lord."

If Sesshomaru was surprised by this comment, he didn't show it. "No one said that you couldn't come back." He said it as though it were a fact.

"But Inukimi-sama told me that after I leave, it's for good."

"Of course she did. However, if I were to take you into my service, there is nothing she could say." He moved toward me, slowly. His slender fingers clasped around mine, and he took my hand, and then he shocked me by gently kissing the inside of my palm. To this day I'm surprised that I didn't faint on the spot. As it was, an intense flush moved up my neck, and I'm sure a surprised sound must have passed my lips. Looking up at me with his fiery gaze, his eyes locked on mine, and somehow his gaze froze me.

I won't go into much detail, but it was right there and then, under the cherry trees, that Sesshomaru took my virginity. He was surprised I still had it - a virgin youkai is rare indeed. In a way, I myself was surprised that no one had tried to take me yet. But Sessshomaru claimed me as his, right then and there.

...

At this, Inuyuki briefly stopped her story, looking at Rin intently. She pierced her with her gaze, and said, "Is my story upsetting to you?"

Rin hesitated. "Well, of course I was upset at first. How could Sesshomaru-sama not love you, and love me instead? You are the most beautiful being I've ever seen - and you're so gentle, especially for a youkai."

Inuyuki smiled, somewhat grimly. "Some would say I'm rather boring."

"You don't seem boring to me - and your story certainly isn't. But anyway, as I was saying, I don't feel jealous of you, and I couldn't. You no longer have your body, just like me. Any memories we both have are twice as bitter as they were sweet."

Inuyuki looked at Rin thoughtfully. "You are very eloquent; and very correct." They both turned their eyes down, sadly.

"There's something I still don't understand, though," said Rin. "You lost your body somehow. What happened to it? Who took it from you?"

Here, the youkai's eyes flashed bitterly, surprising Rin somewhat. "Of course. I haven't told you the most important part yet. Let me continue - you must learn the name of the one who took my body from me, for she also took yours from you."

At this, Rin gasped, audibly. "The silver haired woman? The one with a single eye?"

Inuyuki's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Her. Inuchiyo."


	7. Chapter 7

_**I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update - the holidays really took up a lot of my time. I know things may seem just a little slow here - and I'm sorry if they do - but things will pick up shortly. I hope you all approve; let me know of any discrepancies. Thank you so much for all your kind reviews!**_

 _..._

"After that night, Sesshomaru and I became lovers. At any possible moment, we stole outside to the edges of the forest surrounding the Western Palace, where there were few guards. A few times, Sesshomaru even had the nerve to bring me to his bedchamber. Though be both knew it was likely we would be caught, we couldn't keep away from each other. We spent every spare moment drinking each other in.

During that time, he even almost became... sentimental. He would catch my gaze, and though he never smiled, I felt the pleasure in his eyes. He once even gave me a petrified flower he had found at the edge of a forest. This stunned me - Sesshomaru never gifted anyone anything. It was then that I realized how much I meant to him.

One day, a few seasons after our affair began, I was walking down a hallway in a part of the palace rarely used by anyone. It was ancient, and was mostly used for storage. I was looking for a scroll that Inukimi-sama had asked me to hang in her room; she had not seen it in ages and wished to look upon it again. I was sorting through the many artifacts, when I heard a conversation in the hallway.

"Sesshomaru, you are as aware as I am that there is no alternative." This was spoken by the Inu no Taisho. Inukimi-sama stood at his left side. Sesshomaru was facing the both of them.

I knew that whatever was being said was not for my ears, but I had no desire to be found anywhere near the most important people in the Palace during an intense conversation. Luckily, my aura is somewhat small and easy to hide, and I did so immediately while slipping behind a large painting that easily covered me. I couldn't help but overhear the rest of what was said.

"I can think of many alternatives, Father," Sesshomaru stated in his matter-of-fact way. "Why do we need to forge an alliance with this clan? You know as well as I do that they care nothing for anyone but themselves."

"Which is precisely why we need them on our side. Of course, they are not very strong, as a whole. But there are many of them - and your betrothed is by far the strongest of them all."

"And related far too closely. The daughter of Mother's brother? We're not mongrels, father. We are Inuyoukai."

At this, Inukimi-sama said coldly, "Watch your tongue, my son. This is how things have been done, since our race was created. Your father and I are cousins, are we not? We would not have produced you otherwise."

"Something I appreciate, surely," Sesshomaru said with acid in his voice. "We are going to become a much weaker race if this continues for another generation. Look at the Tanuki."

The Tanuki clan was once large and powerful, and prolific. However, for many generations, they bred father to daughter, mother to son, and even brother to sister. They have dwindled since, and are much less formidible than they once were.

"So what is your suggestion?" The Inu no Taisho asked.

"Allow me to wed Inuyuki instead," replied Sesshomaru. He sounded disinterested as usual, yet still my heart skipped a beat.

His parents gasped audibly, something I had never heard before or since. Their silence was palpable for at least a few seconds.

"The dog-breeder?" asked Inu no Taisho. "Impossible."

"How so?" Sesshomaru asked, clearly annoyed. "Her talents are at least as great as Inuchiyo's. Her beauty is far greater. She may not be an excellent fighter, but her qualities of defense and healing are unmatched. I'm certain you also noticed that she has something else no other living youkai has." When he said this, I was intrigued, though I didn't understand why at the time. "By a genetic standpoint, she is the superior choice. And you are fully aware as to why."

"Do you hear yourself?" asked Inukimi-sama, who was clearly becoming angry. "She is the daughter of a simple mountain youkai! Her family consorts with humans! I rescued that child simply so that I could keep her from such an awful upbringing. I owed that to her mother. Her family has nothing to offer us!"

"You mean, nothing you care to use," Sesshomaru observed.

"Don't be a fool," sneered the Inu no Taisho. "Everyone in the Palace is fully aware of your new pastime involving that girl. Your mother and I certainly don't care about it in the least - as long as you bring about a legitimate heir from Inuchiyo. After that, you can fill your bed with whomever you wish."

"Are you suggesting I copy your habits, Father?" Sesshomaru said impertinently. This had gone too far for the Inu no Taisho.

"Let me remind you, my son," he said, "That without my protection and strength, your life here would not exist. If you wish to keep it, you will follow my demands."

"Who said I wish to keep it?" Sesshomaru asked rhetorically, turning on his heels and walking away. His parents looked at him in disgust for a moment, before Inukimi spoke.

"I don't know what has gotten into him lately. He has become entirely too hard to handle!"

"It's that third cousin of yours. The one from the mountains," growled the Inu no Taisho. This was enough to stand my hair on end and nearly let my presence be known. I had to concentrate in order to suppress my aura. The Inu no Taisho terrified me; I had no desire to anger him.

"And this is her fault?" Inukimi asked. "I think not. Sesshomaru has taken her; the girl has no choice in the matter. Don't you attempt to chase her off," Inukimi warned, an edge to her voice. I was surprised, yet thankful, that she had the courage to stand up to him.

"Inuchiyo and her family arrive in the next change of seasons. Sesshomaru will simply have to accept his fate. As we did." He gave a sidelong glance at Inukimi-sama.

Her look to her husband was cold, and resigned, as she said, "Yes. I suppose he shall have no choice." Her voice was distant, and somehow sad.

...

Sesshomaru and I met that night, as we did most evenings, on the edge of the forest. Our favorite meeting place was covered in fine moss, and surrounded by maple trees so ancient and huge that no one could remember when they were saplings. Small mushrooms and flowers grew on the floor. It was my favorite place in the whole world.

I found him standing at the root of one of the ancient trees, its autumn leaves falling in stunning colors. They swept around him in circles, making him seem even more magical and otherworldly than he was.

"You heard what was spoken earlier today, did you not?"

I blushed immediately, somewhat annoyed to be caught. "How did you know? I hid my aura."

"Of course you did. But you can't escape me. I can always feel you." He walked slowly toward me, and put one of his lethal, yet gentle hands upon my face.

"Did your parents feel my presence?" By now, I was terrified that I would be summoned before them in humiliation.

"Most likely. I have a feeling, however, that what they said to me was something they wished you to hear."

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Do you need me to spell it out for you?" he said, sounding almost contemptuous. "They were hoping you would hear, and leave." He looked at me, long and hard.

"But how could I?" I asked. "I could never leave you."

He looked at me, expressionless. "Couldn't you?"

"Never."

"I seem to remember a small youkai-child who wished to see her father again. You no longer have that wish?"

"No! Maybe I once wished to go back to my home, but that was a century ago. Before I knew you. Before my life became worth living." I could barely believe what I was saying. Years ago, I would have given my eyeteeth in order to go home. As it was, I had no desire to do such a thing. It is amazing indeed how a heart can change in a short time.

Sesshomaru paused, for a long time, staring out to the sky, as you know he often does when he is pensive and indecisive. "My bride will be coming in a short time. I have no intention of changing the way I behave toward you. But she..."

"Shall most likely treat me poorly. I know." I had never interrupted him before, but to my surprise, he said nothing. I decided to say what I knew needed to be said. "I think that my visit to my father should happen in the next season."

He turned and looked at me, and something flashed in his eyes. "Temporarily?"

"Perhaps..." I said, "And perhaps not." I couldn't believe that these words were leaving my mouth. I had no desire to leave him; but I knew that maybe it was best for both of us.

"I don't care what my parents think. Their idea of "pure blood" is just as archaic as human nobility. Don't let them chase you away."

"I have no option, and you know it. Your father more or less hinted that I am fair game for anyone as long as I'm here. I don't wish that."

Amusement faintly showed on his face as he told me, "Indeed, you would have been fair game from the moment you arrived here. Make no mistake, my father had his eye upon you. It was I who insisted that you remain untouched."

I froze with fear upon hearing this, though I knew it to be true. I had felt the Inu no Taisho's eyes linger upon me, especially as I reached my teen years. "How could you dare to flout your father?"

This left my mind as he gently grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward him. "I wanted you for my own." And that was all he had to say. He stayed with me the whole night, which was something he had never done before.

And I was glad of it, for the following day, Inuchiyo arrived.

...

The next morning, I was overseeing the breeding of a particularly combative bitch to an overzealous young stud dog. Few youkai had the stomach or nerve to deal with such a situation, but I was insistent that these two be mated, so it fell upon me to see it done and deal with any fights involved. It took the whole morning, and by the end, the bitch lost an ear and the dog had a deep gash in his side.

As I was cleaning his wound, I heard a great commotion outside. After I finished, I went to see what all the fuss was about. The kennel master, Kuji-san, was standing out, looking at the sky.

An incredible sight awaited my eyes. Over a hundred youkai, in their most formal clothing, were flying across the sky. A great carriage, made of bone, white and polished, was pulled by two steeds with flames coming from their feet and nostrils. In front of the procession were generals in their most ornate armor, and behind it were handmaidens, all wearing seven-layer robes. It was a formal procession, a very specific one.

It was a procession for a noble youkai bride, being brought to her new husband.

I stifled the cries inside my heart; instead, I rushed to the castle, knowing that Inukimi-sama would be wishing for my presence immediately. I would, of course, be expecting to attend her as her highest ranking handmaiden. And I had to rush to make myself presentable.

Of course, there is no "quick" when dressing oneself in formal wear, but I did manage it remarkably fast, though I worried greatly about my appearance. I felt much better, though, when I walked down the hall to Inukimi-sama's chambers, where my lady was incredibly flustered, attendants following her everywhere, with her barking out orders.

"Not that robe, Izukiyo! I wore that last week! Oh, whatever shall I do? A mother-in-law cannot look shabby when meeting her daughter-in-law for the first time!" I knew that her eyes brushed mine as she said this, but I remained stonefaced as I suggested, "Perhaps the green one with the fighting dragons?"

"Of course, Inuyuki, that is the best choice. You always have the most exquisite taste." We dressed her as hurriedly as possible, with her still looking at me strangely. As the two of us went out to the hall, for a moment alone, she said, "I expect you to keep yourself composed."

"Of course, Inukimi-sama." What else could I do?

"I know that it can be hard - heartbreaking, even - to accept the way our clan rules. However, the power that the Inu no Taisho has acquired must remain ours, at all costs. Our feelings are always secondary." At this, she looked down momentarily, then turned to me and said, "We will go now to the main hall."

As we got there, I noticed that the Inu no Taisho and Sesshomaru were already present, in their most formal attire as well. Sesshomaru looked as passive and annoyed as he always does. And the Inu no Taisho looked stern and powerful, as he always did. As Inukimi-sama came in with me and her other handmaiden, the Inu no Taisho glared at us. Actually, it felt as though he were glaring at me, warning me to behave. I found this strange, since I always composed myself completely in the presence of of others.

The procession walked through the door - first, Inuchiyo's father, then her mother, and her six brothers, five of them older than her, one of them younger. The youngest one was called Inukaito, he was a small, though formidable youth.

And then she entered, and a sigh was heard throughout the room.

Inuchiyo was lovely as a song. Her hair was long - so long, in fact, that it almost touched the floor. It was silver, like most youkai, but it also had a blue hue that made it stand out, and shine like starlight. Her face was so angular it was nearly catlike, and she had no visible youkai-marks. But for all these other beauties, nothing could compare to her eyes. They were the color of deepest violet, and so large they seemed to take over her face. If you glanced upon them, you felt as though you could be lost forever in their depths. She stepped forward, surrounded by her family, and knelt before the feet of the court.

My mind was lost as her father, mother, and brothers offered her to the Inu no Taisho as a daughter-in-law; I can't even remember what was said. I spent all my energy on containing my composure, and barely even saw as she and Sesshomaru were, for youkai purposes, married in the great Meeting Hall. All emotion swept from me as I saw him take her hand.

...

Some weeks later, I was alone in the kennels. I spent all my time there, even sleeping in the straw with the dogs, like a common human peasant. No one said anything; whether it was out of pity or embarrassment, I'm not sure. All I knew was that I would betray myself if I should happen to run into Inuchiyo. Perhaps that's why Inukimi-sama let me alone and never called for me.

I was awakening, and pulling straw out of my hair when I realized that Inuchiyo was there, looking at me with her vast, violet eyes. I was completely startled - she was fast indeed if she could sneak up on me like that!

She looked at me, kindness in her eyes, and said, "Do I have the honor of meeting the venerable Inuyuki?" Her formal tone and address surprised me nearly more than her sudden appearance - I was only a lowly maid.

"Yes, indeed, you do, most honorable lady." I bowed, as low as possible.

"Oh, that isn't necessary!" She said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired of all this courtly behavior. It somehow doesn't seem natural for Inuyoukai, does it?" She sighed, clearly at unease with her new surroundings, though I could tell that some of her "unease" was skillful play- acting. Why is she pretending to be so cordial?

"My family is from the south, and we are a warring clan. My father and brothers are unmatched in skill by any but the Inu no Taisho - and that is why they married me to his cold, heartless son." She saw me stiffen at these words, and her beautiful eyes suddenly looked cunning for a slight moment.

"So it is true! He has taken you. I thought so, but I couldn't be certain." She looked me up and down, as though for the first time. "I overheard your mother's maid talking about it to the gardener - but I never would have imagined it!"

At first, her statement irritated me - was I that ugly to her? However, after looking at my image as we passed the ponds, I could see why - I was covered with straw, in clothing that hadn't been tended to in weeks, as though I were in mourning.

"If this is the case, I have a question for you," she said, kneeling down by the pools, and motioning for me to do the same. I dared not refuse, though I had no desire to, so I lowered myself to the grassy ground. "My lord and I have not yet consummated our marriage. Every night he comes to my chamber, and he speaks to me of such boring things! But he won't touch me. How is it that you are able to get him to... lie with you?"

My blush must have been more intense than normal; she gave me a strange look. "What is the matter? You're a maid; he's the master. His taking of servants is to be expected. I often pity the servants in my own house, for I have so many brothers and not nearly as many maids as there are here."

"Well, Inuchiyo-sama," I said, the honorific somehow sour in my mouth, "I grew up quite differently."

She looked at me, interested for some reason. "Really? Where do you come from, if not the Palace?"

I then told her the story of my life, omitting much of that which occurred in the Palace. She listened with intense interest, especially when I spoke of my parents. After I finished, she said, "You must have been so homesick, growing up here. Don't you miss your father?"

"Yes, of course," I said, "Though I haven't seen him in so long. I've become used to my life here." I knew this to be somewhat true, though I had thought of my father often of late and wished to see him. I simply didn't have the heart to tell Sesshomaru-sama, but I did wish to leave for a while. Being at the Palace hurt too much.

Straightening herself, Inuchiyo said, "Well, am I lady of the house now, or not? I can grant you the permission to visit your family. After all, as you said, the hundred years that Inukimi demanded of you are up. Why don't you go visit your father? I would be more than happy to accompany you. I need to leave this place, as well."

"But," I said, "Aren't you forbidden? You've barely been married a season."

"I don't care," she replied, with surprising disinterest. "Sesshomaru is away, and there is nothing to do here. Even if he were here, he would take no interest in me. I will bring my brother Inukaito along - he can assist us as necessary, if we encounter aggressive youkai. Meet me here this evening. I can't wait to get to know you better!" She said, and walked quickly back to the Palace - barely stopping to look at me.

That was strange, I thought. Why was she wishing to travel with me? And why did her actions seem so - unnatural? I knew I could detect some slight animosity in her demeanor - after all, my greatest strength as a youkai was perception, as well as healing. However, it was well-veiled. Perhaps she was irritated at Sesshomaru-sama, and not me. That would certainly make sense.

I wasn't sure I wished to travel with her and her brother, but I really didn't have much choice. Unless Sesshomaru-sama specifically forbade it, she could do as she chose to me - including take me away from the Palace.

I wished deeply to say goodbye to Sesshomaru-sama, but I knew he would forbid me from leaving. My heart broke, but I thought that maybe after I left, his life could continue without me. After all, I could never give him a legitimate heir - what good was I to him, other than a plaything?

I met her that evening, clad in plain, simple travel attire. Inuchiyo, however, was beautifully adorned in her Palace finest. Her brother was behind her. Inukaito was very unnerving - his hair was white as snow, as well as his skin. His eyes, however, were completely black, dark as night. They seemed to take up his entire face. He also had a figure-eight mark on his forehead. I never heard him speak. He only looked at me - strangely.

"Of course you've met my brother, Inukaito, yes?" She asked. "Good. Let's depart."

Against a cold feeling in my veins, I left the Palace with Inuchiyo. However, I didn't fail to notice that Inukimi-sama was watching shrewdly as we departed.

...

It's difficult to explain to a human how we traveled from the Western Palace to the actual human world. Let's just say that it isn't exactly on the ground, but isn't quite in the sky, either. It is something you can find only if you already know where it is. I don't know quite how long it took - but I do know that when we finally hit the forest floor, I was relieved. We were near my home, and I could recognize the smells. Now that I had actually decided to leave the Palace, I could see just how much I missed my former life. I was beginning to believe that maybe it would be better both for Sesshomaru and for myself to be parted - at least for a time.

As we came closer to the village, I could sense something evil emanating out of it - something that wasn't right. All the huts were empty, though fires were still smoking within. The oxen, horses, and chickens were all gone from the fields, as though spirited away. It was rice-planting season, and there were small bundles of rice plants strewn pell-mell in the fields. There wasn't a soul about the place. But that wasn't the thing I was worried about most.

I could sense what had happened before I entered my father's small hut. All the same, I was devastated to see his head severed from his body, his heart staked, and sutras plastered all over every inch of him. Humans. He had been killed by the very thing he had loved.

What I found out later was that Inuchiyo's older brothers came to the village, expertly disguised as humans. They claimed that my father had attacked a neighboring village, killing its children. Of course this wasn't true, but they brought very convincing proof of a child's body that had been raked by the claws of an Inuyoukai. The villagers had loved my father, but they still feared him, all the same. That night, they had hired demon-slaying monks to destroy him. Afterward, believing the village to be cursed, they took everything they owned and left.

Of course, I didn't shed tears - an Inuyoukai would never do such a thing. However, the urge to do so hit me hard.

"Well, there is the proof, Brother," Inuchiyo said, standing at the door. I had nearly forgotten about the two traveling with me - and the change in their auras was concerning. Of course, I had known that Inuchiyo was no friend of mine - and that she had some ulterior motive for joining me in my journey. But I still had no idea just how cruel and twisted she truly was.

"Proof of what?" I asked, not understanding.

"Go ahead, brother," she said, as though I hadn't spoken.

I knew the attack was coming, and I was able to block him multiple times. Inukaito, however, has superior speed - in those days, he was even faster than Sesshomaru-sama. He eventually grabbed my wrist, and overpowered me. To my shock and complete shame, he tore my kimono open easily, then opened his own. He began to defile me, right in front of his sister, who continued to speak, and actually addressed me as though I were standing next to her, having a normal conversation.

"Oh, did I forget to answer you? So sorry, Inuyuki. You see, your emotions are... so unusual for a Inuyoukai, or a youkai of any kind. You feel sadness, pity, and even regret - things a true Inuyoukai never know. I am surprised that you haven't yet figured out that you have a soul." She looked down at me with distaste, as her brother grabbed my hair and bit into the flesh on my neck, an act reserved for Sesshomaru-sama.

This statement shocked me less than it should have. I had always known I was different - as a child, I had felt pity for a human baby, cast out by her mother for having a hare's lip. I was able to heal it, and I found her a new home with an innkeeper and his wife who were unable to make babies. I always tried very hard to save runt puppies - something hardly anyone would dare to waste time on. And I certainly had regret for not visiting my father before his untimely demise. Yes, I had always known that I had a soul.

"The thing is," she continued, pulling that long bone dagger that you, Rin, know all too well, out of her kimono sleeve, "Youkai aren't supposed to have souls. It's said that those of us who do are both more blessed and more cursed. More blessed with power, of course, but also cursed with unhappiness. But those who choose to kill youkai with souls can inherit their strength - if it's done right." Her brother, spilling his seed all over me as though I were a whore, quickly robed himself once more, and moved out of her way, while continuing to hold my wrists down. I was naked, defiled, and disgusting.

"This blade was made from the shin-bone of my great great grandfather - it's been on this planet for longer than humans have. When I kill you with it, it will loose your soul, which will never have the chance to go to the Underworld. You'll be stuck here, mourning your pathetic life, forever. And after I burn your body, I will get all the youkai powers you have."

I looked at her impassively. "Why?" I asked. She didn't answer. That's it. I thought.

"Why, you ugly, jealous bitch?" I asked. "Was it not good enough for you that you took my lord from me, when you didn't even want him? I can see more than you imagine - perception is my specialty. You don't love him. You don't even want him. You want his power. Because you haven't any of your own." Years of restraining myself from speaking harshly to those dominant over me simply swept away. I no longer cared - and realized that all along, I hadn't cared at all, and simply thought that I had.

Inuchiyo simply answered by stabbing me unceremoniously in the stomach - just as Sesshomaru-sama walked in the door. As I felt the life draining out of me, all I could feel were his eyes upon mine, changing swiftly to a glowing red.


	8. Chapter 8

* _Here is another short chapter. More coming soon - and thanks again for your kind reviews.*_

Inuchiyo looked up as Sesshomaru entered, and for the first time, her face held a look of true fear. Though I could feel the life draining out of me, I knew this was my chance to deal back a blow - so I struck her with my claws, as hard as I could, across her right eye. She screamed with pain, as blood rushed down her face. I could see I had actually torn into it. I growled, and tried to transform myself - but that blade, which I later found out was an ancient tool meant to draw power, was draining me rapidly. I knew that I was going to die, yet I stood. I decided to fight to the death.

Of course, Sesshomaru rushed straight for Inuchiyo before I could fully rise - yet Inukaito rushed in front of his sister, to protect her. They both transformed into their inner beasts - and as they did so, the hut fell away in ruins, the fire within catching to much of the grass roof. Sesshomaru was larger and stronger than Inukaito, but he seemed unable to catch him. They swiftly darted around us, slashing at each other's throats.

Inuchiyo, though angered by her injury, didn't transform. It was then that I realized that she was unable to do so. That must be the reason she had decided to follow me here - her real purpose was to steal my abilities!

Inuchiyo, a product of heavy inbreeding, had excellent powers of the mind, and was reasonably fast. However, she had little to no power in battle - her father had greatly exaggerated her skills to the Inu no Taisho, in hopes of forging a marriage alliance. I smiled, and she looked at me strangely. It was then that I attacked.

I was slow due to injury, but I was still able to deal her some blows - first her leg, then her arm, then her eye again, more deeply this time so that I knew it was sightless forever. She screamed terribly in pain. However, she screamed much louder when I grabbed a bundle of burning straw that had once been my father's roof, and put it gently on her evil face, blowing into it to fan the flames. Her skin began to burn - how weak, I thought. This was why she took her brother everywhere - she had no chance in a fight.

He, hearing her screams, rushed quickly to defend her - but Sesshomaru-sama used that opportunity to slash deeply into his back. Inukaito howled in agony as Sesshomaru's poisoned claws cut deeply. At this instant, Sesshomaru left him to concentrate on Inuchiyo. Transforming back to his humanesque form, he rushed to where she was burning, easily put his hand between the flames, and picked her up by the throat.

"You... you were supposed to be fighting with my father in the East..." she managed to choke out.

"I was," he said, and I was surprised to hear the intense emotion in his voice - a mixture of hatred, anger, and sadness - an emotion I have never seen him express at any other time - other than with you, Rin.

"I was fighting alongside your father. Until my mother came to me herself, in the flesh, and made it clear that we had been betrayed," he growled, fury in every inch of his being. "Your father intended to kill my entire family and seize control of his power, the Palace, and his lands. You knew this, though, didn't you?" he asked her, rhetorically. "The fact that my father was unable to sense this is a shame to our entire house. I intend to correct his shame through absolute destruction of the two remaining members of your clan." What Sesshomaru said was not entirely true - at least not yet - as Inuchiyo's father was still alive, fled from the battlefront. Knowing the Inu no Taisho's weakness for beautiful young youkai maidens, her father had decided to attempt to assassinate him through a tryst with one of his most trusted she-fighters. After an untimely - and seemingly accidental - death, he would "grudgingly" assume command of the West. It would have worked, but the Inu no Taisho did not get his name and his station for nothing. Inuchiyo's father had reckoned without the strongest force in the palace. Inukimi, the most important member of his house, caught the rumor in foolish gossip, and was able to expose her brother's true plot. She was also able to discern what had truly happened to me - though she was too late.

Inuchiyo's father was found a few seasons later, attempting to amass a new army since his entire family and house had been completely destroyed. Of course, the Inu no Taisho took his head and put it upon the gate of the Palace, as a warning.

As the meaning of Sesshomaru-sama's words sank in, Inuchiyo cried out in fury and pain, though her cry was quickly cut short by the sound of Sesshomaru-sama choking her fiercely. Inukaito, who was still badly wounded, had sat to the side, watching warily. He knew that if he attempted to attack Sesshomaru-sama directly, Inuchiyo would certainly die instantly. Instead, he decided to go for me.

I could feel the last part of my strength dissipating, but I refused to give in. Standing, I growled fiercely at Inukaito's approach. He jumped at me, and as he did, I felt the cursed bone blade slide swiftly out of my body. Once it was no longer sitting in my stomach, blood gushed out of me, pouring upon the ground. Sesshomaru-sama's attention immediately went back to me - and as he saw my sightless eyes, he dropped Inuchiyo upon the ground.

Knowing they were outmatched, the two of them fled. Inuchiyo was gravely injured, and Inukaito was not much better off - Sesshomaru-sama's poison was beginning to work its evil. He gave them no chase - the first time in his life that I ever remember him doing so.

Instead, he came to me, catching my corpse. I had died as soon as the blade was withdrawn - for it took about half of my power, as well as part of my soul. Unfortunately for Inuchiyo, it had not taken every bit of my being - so I was not completely absorbed into her, with the remaining parts of my soul cast out, as she had hoped. Instead, it is as though I were divided in two - part of me wanders, the other part is locked within her. To this day, that is the cruelest part of my fate - the knowledge that that whelp holds a great portion of my power.

Sesshomaru-sama held my body for many days, without moving. This is a traditional sign of respect to a proper mate in our world; to say I was deeply moved was an understatement. I watched, acutely aware of the strangeness of looking upon my own likeness. I wished desperately to be held by him, but it was something I was never to experience again.

He took my corpse and buried me beneath our maple tree circle in the garden of the Palace. This was, once again, something reserved for a recognized mate - so in a way, he was flouting his father's will by doing so. However, his father never said anything about it.

I was never spoken about in the Palace ever again - though one time, a few seasons after my death, Inukimi-sama came to my grave and laid the comb that I used to use for her hair upon the stone marker.

Sesshomaru left the Palace, and until he left you in the village, he never went back. He helped his father with his final war, but spent most of his time alone, learning the craft of battle. It was during this time that he truly began to embody his name, the "Killing Perfection."

I have always followed him since, and I always shall.

...

Sensing that Inuyuki had come to the end of her story, Rin sat still, in shock. She would have been crying if she'd had a physical body - but she couldn't. To think that all this time, Rin had believed herself so unfortunate in losing her family - Inuyuki had lost that, and much more. Worst of all, she had to hang around the Earth like a spectre, never finding peace.

There were a few tenuous moments of silence before Rin was able to speak. "I... I can't even imagine your pain, Inuyuki. I'm so sorry Inuchiyo did this to you."

With somewhat blank eyes, Inuyuki replied, "I thank you for your empathy, Rin. But I'm sure you see that I was very naive and foolish in so many ways - and you must, in the future, learn from my mistakes. After all, you have a tendency toward naivete yourself."

Somewhat defensively, Rin replied, "How do you know? You've only just met me."

The first somewhat real smile Inuyuki had shown Rin crossed her face, and the illumination of her beauty was nearly blinding. "Indeed? You seem to forget, Rin, that I told you I have followed Sesshomaru-sama since we were parted. Of course I know you - I have watched you grow up. In a way, I was very glad to see you with him."

Rin simply stared, embarrassed at her lack of logic.

"You see," Inuyuki continued, "Sesshomaru-sama became much, much colder and more heartless after my death. He never took another mate - well, other than you - again, and he became very, very ruthless. Of course, Inuyoukai are supposed to be ruthless, but unlike others, he never derived joy from his power - he was simply driven by a blinding need to become stronger. It nearly consumed him.

"But then you came along - and even though he himself didn't see it, he began to soften and become more like the youkai he was before I died. You helped reawaken that inside him, Rin, and for that I'll always be thankful. After all, I got to watch you grow up too - and even though you never could see me, I felt as though I knew you."

"But how could you possibly feel no animosity toward me?" Rin asked. "Weren't you upset that I was alive and you were dead?"

Thoughtfully, Inuyuki replied, "No. I might have felt that way if you'd arrived a hundred years before that, but not now. I am at peace with my situation. Though it may soon change," she said, looking at Rin pointedly.

"Huh?" Rin asked, after a few seconds of silence. "What do you mean?"

"I think I may know the way to get you back to your body, Rin. It will not be easy, and some sacrifices will have to be made."

Excited, Rin said, "Why didn't you say so sooner? How do we do it?" Her childish excitement was somewhat lost when she saw the dull look in Inuyuki's eyes.

"I believe, if I use the remaining power I have with me, that I shall be able to put your soul back into your body. However, you will never, ever be the same. It is likely that some of my memories will slip to you - so the agonies I've suffered in the past will become part of you, as well as the joys. I'm also not sure what your life will be like - it's possible it will be much shorter, or much longer, than it was originally going to be. And," she said, looking sharply into Rin's eyes, "In a way, we shall be bonded, possibly forever. It may be that my soul will separate from yours after death, but it also may not. Which would mean that you may not be able to go to the Underworld after death. It is something that you must consider carefully."

"No." Was Rin's flat answer.

Surprised, Inuyuki said, "But Rin, you didn't even consider it! I told you to take your time and think about it."

"I can't." Rin said, sadness in her voice. "Of course it would be wonderful to be with Sesshomaru-sama again, but how could I do that to you? You didn't say it outright, but I know that by doing this, your soul will never, ever find peace - it will simply be stuck inside me. You've suffered too much. I don't want you to suffer any more."

There was a moment of stunned silence on Inuyuki's part. "Rin, you just met me - how is it you are so concerned with my well-being? This was the naivete I was talking about - this is what shall-" she was going to say "get you killed," but that was obviously a nonsensical thing to say, "keep you from going forward."

"But Sesshomaru-sama-" Rin started, before Inuyuki uncharacteristically cut her off "-Loves you for your naivete, I know, Rin. But what I was trying to say is, you are not judging me correctly. I am youkai - not human. I relish the thought of helping you, which is very unlike a youkai - but at the same time, I do have an ulterior motive."

Rin simply narrowed her eyes, confused again.

"I know that if you become alive once more, you have a chance to get yourself to Sesshomaru-sama, and help to destroy Inuyuki. For now that I've spoken to you, I've seen how we can destroy her." Smiling, Inuyuki looked at patient Kikou, who barked at her happily.


	9. Chapter 9

* _I am very sorry that this is such a short update - I have much more coming shortly, but decided to add just a small next chapter until I'm done. I hope you enjoy it - and thank you so much again for all your kind reviews.*_

Sesshomaru coursed across the night sky at a blinding speed, hate coursing through his veins. He could think of one thing, and one thing only.

Rin.

How could he have fallen for a trap such as that? He cursed his foolishness. Because of his stupid instincts, because of his bloodlust; and most of all, because he hadn't properly disposed of that foul, inbred creature and her lackey of a brother, Rin was dead. And he could never get her back.

Just like Inuyuki.

Now that his rage was set loose, the flood of memories assaulted him with a seeming will of their own.

He remembered the first time he laid eyes upon Inuyuki - her beautiful hair the color of midnight, her eyes the color of the ocean, her skin pale as milk. And her boundless grace and humility - she was utterly unlike any other youkai he had ever known - dog or otherwise.

The entire Palace was enamored with her, though she did not see it - her powers, though largely defensive, were incredible. She was able to take a portion of her abilities and let her dogs feed off of them, in a way, as to become stronger themselves. And her healing was impressive as well. If she had been trained, as he had planned to do himself, her attack would likely be somewhere equal to his. However, her grace and quiet nature made it difficult for her to wish harm to any creature - human or youkai. In that alone, she was very unique.

Up until he met Rin, there was no creature he had adored so much - and she adored him, as well. He could always feel it in her embraces, and sighs, during their many wonderful nights under the stars. They had been in bliss - though of course, he never would have admitted it.

And then that foolish bitch Inuchiyo had been thrust upon him, by his parents - or rather, by his own father, who angrily complained that Inuyuki wasn't good enough because of her consorting with humans. The same youkai who, a hundred years later, took a human mistress and gave her his child. The two-facedness of his father's behavior was something Sesshomaru was never able to forgive - especially since he knew from the first that his father wished to have Inuyuki for his own.

He knew from the moment he met Inuchiyo that she was nowhere near as powerful as her father had asserted - she had strong mind reading abilities, and persuasion as well - but that was it. It was clear from the beginning that she relied on her brother for all things involving protection. And for affection, as well.

The night that was supposed to be their bridal moon found him walking in to the two of them, brother and sister, rutting on the marriage bed. It was well within his right to kill both of them where they stood - but he chose instead to let them live in his disgrace. He was hopeful that they would beget a child between them, and get themselves executed.

He mistook Inuchiyo's thankfulness for her life as acquiescence - he had no idea that she had wanted him to actually lie with her (which would never happen). Of course, she didn't care for him at all - she wanted the power of proving to the world that she had brought forth the new heir to the family line. They would, of course, be able to tell the child's father by scent.

Then, the betrayal.

He should have seen it coming. But he hadn't, and that was something he would always have to live with. That, and the fact that he hadn't finished the bitch like he thought he had.

Three days after Inuyuki's burial, he was able to track Inuchiyo to a cave, waiting for her brother's return. He had mercilessly lashed her with his light-whip from head to toe, scarring her gorgeous flesh all over. Then he strangled her with it viciously. He was certain she had died.

The question remained: how was she alive?

He didn't have any more time for reminiscence; he was approaching the two of them, and quickly. They were on the edge of the Forest of Inuyasha - an interesting place for them to pick for a battle. Rin's corpse was not far away. He no longer tried to suppress the rage - it fairly boiled out of him.

They were standing in front of the large camphor trees, Inukaito braced in a fighting stance, sitting upon his large white haunches. Sesshomaru found it odd that the youkai was still in his beast form - that took up a great deal of energy. He alighted, facing them both, Inukaito standing in front of Inuchiyo. Before he could attack, Inuchiyo spoke.

"Why look, my brother! Sesshomaru has graced us with his presence once again! I am fairly certain that this time he was seeking us out, much like he did all those years ago. What a shame - for the second time, he has lost the thing dearest to his heart."

Sesshomaru growled menacingly, preparing to strike.

"Oh, not so quick, Sesshomaru. You see, Inukaito has vowed never to transform back into his two-legged form until we and our clan are avenged upon you. You took our family from us - you took our dignity - and my beauty," she said, bitterness in her eye. "But you will not take our revenge." She held up the bone dagger in her hand.

Then it struck him - the bones! That was how she had stayed alive - she stole Inuyuki's power, and divided her in half. It confirmed what he had long suspected about Inuyuki - that she had a soul. He cursed his ignorance - all he had to do was destroy the bone!

But he knew he couldn't do it with Bakusaiga - the bone, and Inuyuki's soul with it, would be poisoned completely, and destroyed. The only answer was... unfortunately... Tetsusaiga - Inuyasha's blade. Its ability to cut through barriers was unrivaled.

He felt a sudden familiar, yet strange presence. Out of the trees, to the left of the three youkai, stepped out a tall young woman, with dark hair, beautiful light brown eyes, and a purple staff. At her side stood a dog - who seemed much larger than he had last time Sesshomaru saw him.

It was Rin.


	10. Chapter 10

* _We are coming closer to the end of this story - just a few chapters left (maybe a lemon, I don't know if it will work or not). Thanks again for your reviews - and I hope you like the vindication here!*_

Rin, in her tattered clothes (still covered in blood), wasn't sure she would be able to pull off what Inuyuki had asked her to do. _But I have to try_ , she reminded herself, _even if it means that I fail and we all die_. These two demons weren't going to leave Rin or Sesshomaru-sama alone until they were gone for good.

Inuchiyo's eye gaped at Rin. _Impossible_ , she thought. _I made sure that she was dispatched. I saw the light leave her eyes!_

Noticing her surprise, Rin said, "I take it you are surprised to see me standing?"

Inuchiyo only growled. Her brother did the same.

She saw a blinding flash of white as her lord stood in front of her. She could sense the strange combination of relief and anger in his voice as he said, "Rin, leave here."

"No."

All eyes turned on her. She had never refused Sesshomaru-sama anything, as long as she had lived. She had obeyed him implicitly and without question. It was the reason she had been allowed to follow him. Sesshomaru simply looked at her incredulously.

"Rin, do as you are told," he said, growling at her. She was unafraid.

"Sesshomaru-sama, this is one thing I must do on my own. You have always protected me - and I love you because of it - but I know for a fact that there is only one being who can defeat Inuchiyo."

His surprise at Rin's correct naming of the enemy was, of course, completely concealed. However, Rin almost laughed because Sesshomaru-sama lightly tossed his hair aside with his left hand - which was always the way that he showed veiled surprise.

"Please, Sesshomaru-sama, I do need you to help me - I can't do this alone." She looked meaningfully at Inukaito, who was still snarling, waiting for his sister's command to fight.

"No. Rin, you must leave." I can't lose you again, was what he really meant, and she knew it.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I will die if I don't do what I came to. Please, let me do what I need to do. Or rather, what she needs me to do."

Confused, Sesshomaru moved ever so slightly to her side, still glued to her. It was the most she could hope for - and so she finally did what was needed. She drew something long, white, and thin out from underneath her clothing. It resembled ivory - but it was cracked jaggedly across the middle. Inuchiyo, watching intently, shrieked with dismay when she saw it.

"This is what you killed me with, Inuchiyo. It will be your undoing." Inukaito rushed at her, but Sesshomaru, who had turned back into his large white dog-form, grabbed him by the neck, holding him mercilessly with his teeth. Rin snapped the blade in half, as though it was a stick. A large shard fell out of it, which she saved.

Inukaito suddenly shrank down to his humanesque form - one he hadn't been in in over two hundred years. His eyes were wild, his white hair disheveled and matted. Sesshomaru was still holding him by the neck, growling.

"Brother!" shouted out Inuchiyo. She turned on Rin. "You bitch!"

"You're wrong," Rin said, her anger rising. " _You're_ the bitch. You've ruined so many lives - all for selfish gain. You truly are one of the worst youkai I've ever met - and you aren't even powerful." Inuchiyo growled, slashing Rin's arm. Rin, crying out in pain, raised her staff, and before Sesshomaru could rip Inuyuki to shreds, she called,

"NOW! Inuyasha!"

His brother appeared seemingly out of nowhere, as did his companions behind him. Inuyasha jumped into the air, his red Tetsusaiga flashing brightly. He intercepted Inuchiyo - and stabbed deeply into the bone blade.

For a moment, the air seemed still. Inuchiyo, in disbelief, dropped what was once her prized possesion. Out of it flowed what seemed to be a black colored smoke, and it grew, and grew, with a sighing, groaning sound. It flashed into the air, in the shape of a great, black beast.

As quickly as she could, Rin grabbed a shard of the bone, and quietly motioned to Kikou, who was standing closely by. She apologized, and shoved the shard in between the dog's withers. Kikou cried out, but just for a moment. He very rapidly began to change, before everyone's eyes.

First, he grew tall - as tall as Sesshomaru was when transformed. His eyes turned the color of deep sapphire. His hair quickly grew black as night all over. He then began to sprout a tall, black topknot upon his head, that flowed behind like a long silken ribbon, and a glorious tail that was even longer. A swirl of white was branded upon his forehead. He was no longer Kikou - he was a vessel for a different creature.

"It worked!" Rin called joyfully.

Sesshomaru, his eyes wide, was frozen to the ground. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. The only thing he could do was speak her name in disbelief.

"Inuyuki."

She looked straight at him, and moaned deep in her throat.

Rin could only stare at her admiringly - Inuyuki had certainly been modest in describing herself. Her aura, almost complete, was enormous and powerful. She looked straight ahead at her enemy, and growled deeply in her throat.

Inukaito had gone mad. After being transformed constantly for the past two centuries, he no longer thought rationally like other youkai. He was purely a slave to his beast-half, and had no common sense. Seeming to forget that he lacked his powers since the bone-blade had been broken, he rushed at Rin, snarling and snapping like a dog. Rin easily countered him by running her staff underneath his feet and tripping him upside down. Inuyuki growled at him once, and rushing up to him, slashed him with one of her gigantic paws, scratching him badly. He howled in pain.

Attempting to gain leverage of a sort, he rushed for Rin. But his speed was now gone - and Sesshomaru stepped in front of Rin, his eyes glowing menacingly. Turning around, Inukaito's wild eyes narrowed. He attacked Inuyuki outright, like one crazed. She took one long, vicious look at him, and snapped her jaws around his frail body, swallowing him whole. As she did so, she turned her beautiful blue eyes to Inuchiyo, who quivered in terror.

"No, no, no, you have it all wrong. This was all Inukaito's idea. He was the one who wanted the power - not me!"

No one answered her. The only answer she recieved was a vicious cut on the side of her face that wasn't ruined. This was followed by a slash across her side, then her legs, then her neck - Inuyuki was using her gigantic claws to cut her to ribbons. Then, Inuyuki's long, beautiful black topknot twirled itself around Inuchiyo's neck, becoming a noose. Slowly, very slowly, it went tighter and tighter. Gasping and choking, it was now evident that Inuchiyo was weak, and always had been. She had relied too heavily on the magic of her ancestors, since she had little of her own - and without it, she had nothing left.

Finally, she was still. No one moved - everyone was surprised to see a youkai so easily defeated, just like a human. They were even more surprised that she was able to create so much pain.

Inuyuki dropped Inuchiyo's corpse like a sack of rice. She was suddenly shrinking - and turning brown instead of black. The magic was fading. As it did, she turned and looked deeply into Sesshomaru's eyes. He walked up to her, quietly and calmly, and laid his hand upon her face. Each had a look of longing - and admittedly, Rin felt sudden pangs of jealousy.

Inuyuki rumbled deep in her throat at Sesshomaru's touch, and as suddenly as she had appeared, she faded in a black mist that wrapped itself around Sesshomaru; then, to Rin's surprise, it wrapped itself around her. As it did, Rin could feel thankfulness and peace filling her being. She knew that at long last, Inuyuki was complete. She would be able to find peace, forever. As Rin realized this, tears of happiness cascaded down her face.

When she was once again aware of herself, which seemed like hours but must have simply been a few seconds, she looked up to meet Sesshomaru's eyes. She had expected to find sadness in them - sadness that he had lost Inuyuki once again. However, all she could see was his normal deadpan expression - with a slight softness to it that she knew was for her.

"Rin," he said, simply. She knew it was a request to follow him. Rin, looking back at her friends from her village life, said,

"Thank all of you so much - especially for understanding when my corpse suddenly rose from the dead, and listening quickly to what needed to be done."

Kagome and Sango giggled. "Think nothing of it," Kagome said. "It's not the first time something like that has happened around here, after all!"

"And Inuyasha, thank you so much for agreeing to help break the bone blade - I am so very glad that it worked like we thought it would."

"What did you think I'd do?" Inuyasha asked, "Let another demon ruin the village? That's why I'm here!" He said, proudly.

"The only reason the villagers allow you here," muttered Kagome.

Inuyasha, annoyed, simply said nothing. He knew if he did he'd regret it later.

"I have to go now," said Rin, looking quickly at her lord, feeling the heat of his gaze. Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"We know," said Kagome and Sango. "We've known for a while. But please come to visit sometimes! After all, you owe us the story of what happened to you while you were... gone."

"Of course," Rin said. "I won't be gone forever."

Smiling, Sango said, "We'll see."

They were waving at one another, walking off, when Inuyasha said, "Hurry. Let's go." He looked nauseated.

"Oh, come off it Inuyasha! I know you hate your brother, but _jeez_! Who knows when Rin will be back next? I want to say goodbye properly!"

"You obviously didn't see how my brother was staring at Rin."

Sango and Kagome giggled. "Who didn't?"

"Trust me," Inuyasha said, "You won't want to be within five square miles of this place by sundown. Just be thankful you can't _smell_ why."

At this, as they walked away, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku laughed mercilessly.


	11. Chapter 11

*WARNING! LEMON AHEAD! _This is, sort of, the end. I plan on including an epilogue soon, but the meat of the story is completed. I appreciate all your wonderful reviews - even the slightly critical one that linked me to a website explaining why Sesshomaru and Rin are father/daughter. I appreciate that there are many people that feel that way; however I do feel I made it clear what sort of story this would be from the beginning, so if you don't like this viewpoint, I encourage you to read something else :D . I really do appreciate it though - I never thought anyone would want to read my writing, as I have much room for growth. Thank you all!_

Following her lord, Rin was transfixed by the beauty of the forest. Somehow, the colors were brighter, the sounds were merrier, and the air was cleaner. Nothing could make you appreciate your life more than almost losing it - and with how often it seemed to happen to Rin, she appreciated it more every time. She was trying to keep up with Sesshomaru-sama (who was going very deeply into the forest very quickly), but she continued to be transfixed by the beauty of once again being alive. As she looked ahead once more, she realized that she couldn't find Sesshomaru-sama.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you?" Just as she called out, she stepped into a clearing which was dotted all over with small wildflowers in ankle-deep grass. But that was not what grabbed her immediate attention. Sesshomaru-sama was standing there, staring at her, his eyes intense.

"Rin." That was all he said, but her name carried so much weight that it seemed he was expressing everything he had felt during the time he lost her - and during the time he saw his old beloved, Inuyuki. He looked at the slit and bloodstain on the front of her yukata.

"You were injured," he said, looking at her with concern. He could still smell her blood and Rin could tell that it worried him, though of course he would never say so.

"No, my lord, there is nothing to be concerned about. I was healed, see?" She pulled down the top of her yukata,showing her breastbone. The sudden exposure of her flesh caused Sesshomaru to suddenly tense. Rin, suddenly conscious of this, smiled inwardly. That was why Sesshomaru-sama had brought her here - he intended to finish what had been started the day before.

Rin decided to be bold. Since she was wearing a simple summer yukata, she decided to let it slip down her shoulders, to the top of her navel. Her small breasts lay exposed in the evening air. Sesshomaru's eyes immediately grew red with lust. She smiled slightly.

Encouraged, she allowed it to slide down even further - until it hit her ankles. Slowly stepping forward, she held her arms out to him.

Of course, she didn't need to say anything - Sesshomaru quickly and firmly pulled her to him. His lips met hers once more, and she felt the heat once again burning within her. They both slid, somewhat unconsciously, to the ground, with her nestled firmly in his lap.

Rin was nearly unaware of eveything that was happening - her entire body seemed to be made of electricity. She felt his hands upon her middle, then gently stroking her leg, his tongue upon her breast. She moaned in pleasure, and Sesshomaru responded with a low growl, nipping her gently on the lip.

So lost was she in ecstasy, that she didn't notice that somehow her lord had lost his clothing as well. Sitting upon him, she felt slightly nervous, as she had the last time. He seemed chiseled of the finest ivory, somehow delicate yet harder than diamond. He looked deeply into her eyes, and said, possessively, "You are mine."

Within moments, he had entered her, and she cried out in a mixture of pleasure and slight pain - after all, she had been a maiden but the day before. Expecting this, Sesshomaru showed incredible restraint and went slowly, holding her carefully, the two of them looking deeply into one another's eyes. This time, Rin's position afforded her more freedom, and they moved gently together, holding one another, reaching desperately yet carefully for release.

Then, finally snapping under the strain of holding himself back, Sesshomaru growled, flipped her over to her hands and knees, and entered her from behind. The sudden possessiveness and surprise sent Rin over the edge immediately, sore as she was; it didn't take long before Sesshomaru was feverishly sinking his teeth into the same place he had before on her neck, growling with pleasure.

Completely spent, Rin collapsed and was caught by Sesshomaru. He held her to him, protectively, and shrouded her carefully in his large kimono. Sitting in his arms seemed the most natural thing in the world - and even the silence between them was calming. Yet still, the thoughts she often tried to chase away crept into her mind...

His beauty and strength were far greater than hers - was it truly right for a lowly human to love a youkai?

She remembered the teasing inflicted upon her from the other youths in Inuyasha's village. He had, of course, stopped it immediately when he'd heard about it, but it continued in whispers. One girl had even claimed that it was so strange for a young woman to love a youkai who had once raised her like a father would have - and said that their spiritual incest would make deformed babies. Of course, after hearing this, Kagome had reminded her that it made no sense - youkai weren't humans and didn't see them like that. In fact, Kagome had laughed - after all, Inuyasha's own mother was not even born when Sesshomaru was a child - yet that had not stopped the Inu no Taisho from seeing her as a lover.

Rin remembered her father - drunk, foolish, and lazy. She had no love or affection for him. Even as a child, she had not seen Sesshomaru as a father - rather, at first she had seen him as a god, then as a sort of guardian spirit, then as a friend, and then, more recently as more than that.

He had obviously chosen her, hadn't he?

As the thoughts raced through her mind, she noticed that he was looking her squarely in the eye.

"Rin." It was often all he said to her, but the many ways he said her name meant several different things. In this case, he was telling her that she should not keep secrets from him.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she replied, wondering how to word her response without angering him. "How can one as powerful and strong as you are love a lowly human like myself?" She said so shyly, barely daring to meet his eyes. When she finally did, she saw no anger in them, merely incredulity. There was a short silence before he answered her.

"Don't say something that makes no sense." She thought that was all he would say before he added, "I don't understand why a human like you could love a youkai like myself."

Smiling gently, she nestled herself in his shoulder. That was certainly as close as she would ever come to his telling her he loved her. It meant more to her than all the love poems, songs, and flowers in the world.

...

Many times over the course of that night, they made love to one another. Now that the barrier between them had been loosed, they could not ever seem to have time enough. Rin woke early that morning, tired yet satisfied. She dressed herself, sat upon a rock on a nearby small hill (close enough so that Sesshomaru would not worry) and watched the sunrise. It seemed different to her than any other - the new dawn of her new life.

Soon, Kikou joined her. The small brown dog had disappeared after the previous evening, and Rin was worried about him - for she was uncertain if the transformation he experienced would take his life or not. He seemed happy as ever - and strangely enough, he was wearing something around his neck.

It was a necklace, made of hair woven into an incredibly intricate and tiny braid - and attached to it was a pale blue stone in the shape of a teardrop, smooth as glass, brilliant as starfire. It was the stone Inuyuki had described to Rin - the one her mother had given her. Rin looked at it in wonder, then smiled and tied it around her neck. She looked up at the sky.

"Thank you, Inuyuki. I know you gave me this to remember you by - and I could never forget you."

She put it upon herself and headed back to Sesshomaru, who was fully clothed and looking at her imperiously, as always.

"It is time to leave, Rin."

"I need to speak to you about that, Sesshomaru-sama."

Blankly, he stared at her for a moment. "Speak," he said.

"My lord, I will not be able to follow you to the Western Palace. It - it isn't safe there for a human like myself, I know it. And even though I have been properly educated, I will never be suited to living inside the walls of a palace in a seven-layered kimono. I am no queen; I am a peasant girl who is decent at fighting and picking flowers and bringing babies. And..." she wasn't sure how she should say it, but she knew it needed saying, "Someone we both love was betrayed there. I feel that it will be even easier for that to happen to me, since I am human." She waited for his answer.

As always, Sesshomaru betrayed little emotion. "What do you wish, then? Are you trying to part from me?" She knew she saw a flash in his eyes.

"No! Never!" She said it louder than she had meant; but she was desperate not to lose him. "No. I simply would like to request that you travel with me, as we used to when I was a child. I know you are busy with your conquests, but my life will be short and barely a blink of your eye."

She was able to see that he was surprised - and for some strange reason, she had always loved it when she was able to achieve that. It was rare, but showed that his depth of emotion for her was something unique.

"You know that I won't be able to spend every day with you - there are times that I will have to leave."

"I know."

"If you were at the Palace, I could keep you protected."

"But I would be little more than a bird in a cage," she said, sadly. "And do you really think that I would be safe there? I am but a lowly human."

"Where will you go when I cannot protect you?" For the first time ever, she heard true concern in his voice.

"Inuyasha's village. I will never be accepted there, I know - but I will be safe there."

"No," he answered, in a non-negotiable tone.

She lowered her head, defeated.

"I will not leave you. I can rule all lands - North, East, South, West, but they mean nothing to me without you. If this is what you ask, so be it. I will not leave your side."

Surprised, and glad, Rin jumped and clapped her hands, just as she had as a child. "Oh my lord, thank you so!" She knew nothing else needed to be said. As she rushed to him, he held her back for a moment, his eyes surprised. He stared at the jewel she wore.

"Where did you get that?" He said, his voice choking slightly.

"From someone who will be a part of me, until I am no longer a part of this world," she said, looking meaningfully into his eyes.

He turned away momentarily, and she was worried - would he hate her for knowing his past? He knew now that she knew the story. However, his eyes were soft, even slightly loving, as he looked back at her, and said the same words he always had when she was a child.

"Come, Rin."

She smiled.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!"


	12. Epilogue

_*Here it is, the final end! I hope it is satisfactory. Once again, thank you all so much for your very kind reviews - I am incredibly flattered that this many people actually read my writing, and enjoyed doing so. I'm not sure how many other stories I will be able to think up, but I'm glad I was able to bring this one to life._

 _This ending is what's known as "bitter-sweet." Some people don't like those endings, but this was the only one that seemed to "fit" after I tried several others._

 _As a side note, I am considering putting up more explicit versions of the lemons in this story on another website. FFNET would certainly not approve of my original lemons, so I had to tone them down. If I do decide to do so, I will post an update in this epilogue saying so._

 _Thank you all again, this has been a great deal of fun! The ending isn't exactly mega-happy, but somewhat realistic. I hope you approve :D_

Sesshomaru stood quietly, looking at the two small stones at the edge of the circle of sakura trees in the gardens of the Western Palace, as he had on this day every past hundred years. It was important to him, because he knew it would be important to her.

He remembered the good things - their many years together, travelling the wilderness, enjoying each other's companionship; their long, passionate nights in the forests. The light in her eyes as she spent her days as she had always dreamed.

She had lived so much longer than most humans - more than a hundred years - yet to him, it seemed their time was so very short. He had always hoped to find a way to keep her alive - but she resisted him.

"No, Sesshomaru-sama," he remembered her saying, when he mentioned a desire to keep her immortal. She had aged so gracefully - old woman though she was, she hardly looked it, or felt it, even at the very end. "I am not meant to live forever - after all, this is my fourth life. I'm not a fox-spirit, I'm human. I will have to leave you someday." She smiled gently, though he could tell that she was afraid - not for herself, but for him.

She had left him so suddenly - yet her death did not leave him with the frantic yearning he had felt all of the other times she had died. Somehow, this time around, it seemed... right.

He would never forget the last thing she said to him, the night before she left him in her sleep. "I know my time is coming." She said it matter-of-factly, and he just looked at her.

"Don't say that."

She smiled gently. "You know it's true, Sesshomaru-sama. And I have something I request of you. Bury me next to Inuyuki."

He looked at her searchingly. He had never heard her say that name; they both knew what had happened those many years ago, but neither had the desire to say anything about it. They weren't quite sure why, but it seemed that they both knew that nothing needed to be said. Her sudden request was a surprise.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because she is the reason I have been able to give my life to you. We were bound together by karma." She smiled gently and laid her head back, falling asleep and never waking.

By that point in his life, he was far and away the most powerful youkai in the entire land - and he had many vassals and subjects. His power was exactly what he had once dreamed it would be - and he would give it all up in a second if he could have been mortal with her. But before she left, she had admonished him to continue living - not for her, but for their future.

Rising, he decided that it was time to return to his duties at the palace. Once he reached the edge of the gardens, he saw that the very future Rin wished him to protect was walking to her resting place to remember her as well.

One was a tall, slender young girl with bright green eyes, white hair, and a serious expression. She wore a familiar blue necklace with a blue teardrop stone. The other was a young, shaggy black dog who was constantly in a transformed state, except for the night of the full moon, much like his uncle Inuyasha. During that time, he was human - and much like his mother, never stopped talking while he had the chance, since he was mute most of the time.

Sesshomaru rarely showed it, but these two beings were the light of his life - his last living connection to his beloved, and the future of his line.

He had surprised the entire court when he had proclaimed Rin his one and only mate. They all knew that he doted on her; yet they fully expected him to continue his bloodline through a highly-bred youkai female. They were flabbergasted when he gave the announcement that Rin would also retain all the rights normally granted to the wife of a great Daiyoukai - the right to name his children being one of them. He had nearly smiled with pleasure when his mother heard the names of her grandchildren for the first time - her dislike of the common names Rin had picked was evident. He found it strange, especially considering that she herself broke tradition by not giving him a name beginning with "Inu."

However, all at court eventually grew used to the fact that both of the children were hanyou, likely because there were two of them. Sesshomaru never told Rin, but she must have been unusually fertile, as youkai seed was not very compatible with human females. Hanyou like Inuyasha and Jinenji were rare indeed; two hanyou from the same human female were unheard of. Even among youkai, children did not happen frequently.

"Yuriko. Masayuki." As he spoke their names, they acknowledged him with a nod.

"Father," said Yuriko, "We wish to go visit Mother now. Is that acceptable to you?" She and Masayuki looked at him somewhat tentatively; they knew that this was a day he preferred to be alone.

"Yes," he answered simply. As he turned to walk away, Yuriko said, "Father, just one more thing." Once his eyes met hers, she said, "Jakken wished me to tell you that..." she trailed off, and her eyes glazed over. Clearly, she was "seeing" something. Her eyes closed.

Then they snapped open.

"Father! Quickly, return to mother's grave! And take this with you!" She held out the beautiful blue necklace that had belonged first to Inuyuki, then her mother.

Sesshomaru was preoccupied; he had no patience for Yuriko and her usual mind-tricks. She was a very, very strong clairvoyant - and so far, she had predicted earthquakes, the fall of human regimes, and various other events with perfect precision. Her predictions (and suggestions) couldn't be taken lightly. Sometimes, her ability to read even him made Sesshomaru vaguely annoyed with her powers. She knew this and exploited it to her advantage - his daughter through and through.

He gave her a long look. Slowly, he put his fingers around the necklace and picked it up, gently. Somehow, touching it made memories flash before his eyes.

He heard Yuriko gasp, and Masayuki bark, both at the same moment. Looking up, he could see why.

Before them stood two faint, ghostly figures. One was a human woman - young, in the very prime of her existence, with gorgeous long black hair, wild-looking eyes, and an affectionate smile. His beloved Rin.

The other was an exquisitely beautiful youkai, with hair the color of a raven's wing, longer even than Rin's, and twisted into beautiful braids, looped about her head. The remainder cascaded down her white shoulders,which were covered by a beautiful, old-fashioned seven layer kimono. Her eyes were blue as the stone necklace; and her demeanor was calm and kind. His beloved Inuyuki.

He could only stare at them, nonplussed.

The two of them looked at one another and smiled.

"He hasn't changed." Rin giggled.

"No, he hasn't," Inuyuki replied. "But would you expect anything less?"

"Of course not," Rin said, looking him in the eye. "My lord, we haven't much time. We have come back to tell you that we finally found a way to separate ourselves and go to the Underworld."

"Yes," Inuyuki added. "As I'm sure you guessed, I bound myself to Rin in order to grant her a longer life." She gave him a soft, meaningful look with her eyes.

"I knew," he said, at long last. He still seemed impassive, but anyone who knew him saw that he had been moved deeply.

"Rin finally figured out, on the last night of her life, how to take the power I had left in the necklace to unbind us. Unfortunately, she died before it happened. However, someone else figured it out." She looked to her side, at Yuriko.

"So that was what it meant," Yuriko said mysteriously.

"Yes, it is," Inuyuki said, while looking with both fondness and sadness at the daughter that might have been hers. Nothing else needed to be said.

"Mother," Yuriko said, since her father wasn't responding, "I miss you. Will we ever meet again?" As she said it, human tears filled her eyes. She might be somewhat stoic like her father, but she had human blood in her as well. Her brother Masayuki wagged his tail, and whined. He wished to run up to his mother, but he wasn't stupid enough to do something like that when it might break the spell.

"Maybe we will, my daughter. Maybe we won't. That will be the decision of the guardian of the Underworld." Yuriko had known this; yet she had hoped that perhaps Rin would be one of the lucky ones who was reincarnated immediately. Sighing, she looked at her father.

He stood straight and elegant as always, but she could almost see a weight upon him. His sadness. Much as he cared for his children, he would give anything he had in order to go to the Underworld with them, and Yuriko knew it. But it was not his destiny.

The two of them looked even more transparent than they had the moment before; the spell was fading quickly.

"Sesshomaru-sama," they said, simultaneously, "Thank you. We love you." They gave him a long gaze, and turned to walk away. Then the unthinkable happened.

"I love you both, as well." It was all he said, but it was far more than he had ever said during their lifetimes. With Sesshomaru, they knew that emotional expression was almost impossible. They had loved him anyway, and had been confident in his love for them. To have him say it aloud, in front of his children, no less, was more than they had ever dreamed.

They turned back to look at him, love and thankfulness in their eyes. Then, they looked at one another, slowly clasped their hands together, and walked away, as friends might. As they did, they disappeared entirely.

Yuriko had tears running down her cheeks. Masayuki howled, since he had no other way of communicating. His sister, who could read his thoughts, knew that the hearbreak he had felt at the death of his beloved mother was reawakened anew. Masayuki had been especially close to Rin.

Sesshomaru simply stood, and looked ahead to where they had gone. He knew why they had come back - to remind him that though they were parted, his life must continue. Not simply for the sake of his children, but for his own. Confronting human fragility had made him stronger, and better. He no longer slaughtered human villages mercilessly as he had before he knew Rin. He was able to see beauty in things other than power and strength. Inuyuki's and Rin's deaths had made him even more powerful than Bakusaiga.

However, it still didn't mean he would choose to say such things aloud. He looked at his children severely.

"Yuriko. Masayuki. Stop that noise. You are old enough to stay composed."

Looking up, they immediately calmed themselves. Masayuki hung his head, Yuriko dried her eyes.

"I expect to see you this evening and report whatever it was Jakken told you," he told Yuriko.

"Yes, Father," she replied, and the two of them slowly walked away, toward the gardens.

Sesshomaru walked toward the Palace, with the necklace in his hand. He looked at it, feeling the braid of Inuyuki's hair that held the stone. As he looked up, he saw two blackbirds flying toward the heavens.

He smiled, ever so slightly.


End file.
